India’s power regulator appointed a single-member bench to look into aspects relating to preparedness of power managers and other stakeholders to meet the challenges arising on account of a sudden surge in power demand.
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) initiated a suo motu proceedings in the issue.
About Central Electricity Regulatory Commission:
It is a statutory body established by the Government of India under the provisions of the Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998.
It is the Central Commission for the purposes of the Electricity Act, 2003, which has repealed the ERC Act, 1998.
It consists of a Chairperson and four other members including the Chairperson, Central Electricity Authority, who is an ex-officio Member of the Commission.
It intends to promote competition, efficiency, and economy in bulk power markets, improve the quality of supply, promote investments, and advise the government on the removal of institutional barriers to bridge the demand supply gap and thus foster the interests of consumers.
Functions:
To regulate the tariff of generating companies owned or controlled by the Central Government;
To regulate the tariff of generating companies other than those owned or controlled by the Central Government specified in clause (a), if such generating companies enter into or otherwise have a composite scheme for generation and sale of electricity in more than one State;
To regulate the inter-State transmission of electricity;
To determine tariff for inter-State transmission of electricity;
To issue licenses to persons to function as transmission licensee and electricity trader with respect to their inter-State operations.
Topic: Statutory Bodies
2. Central Consumer Protection Authority
Why in the news?
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued a show cause notice to Ola Electric Mobility Ltd. for alleged violation of consumer rights, misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices.
About Central Consumer Protection Authority:
It is constituted under Section 10(1) of The Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
It aims to protect the rights of the consumer by cracking down on unfair trade practices, and false and misleading advertisements that are detrimental to the interests of the public and consumers.
It is headquartered in the National Capital Region of Delhi but the central government may set up regional offices in other parts of the country.
Powers and Functions:
Inquire or investigate into matters relating to violations of consumer rights or unfair trade practices suo motu, or on a complaint received, or on a direction from the central government.
Recall goods or withdrawal of services that are “dangerous, hazardous or unsafe.
Pass an order for refund the prices of goods or services so recalled to purchasers of such goods or services; discontinuation of practices which are unfair and prejudicial to consumer’s interest”.
Impose a penalty up to Rs 10 lakh, with imprisonment up to two years, on the manufacturer or endorser of false and misleading advertisements. The penalty may go up to Rs 50 lakh, with imprisonment up to five years, for every subsequent offence committed by the same manufacturer or endorser.
Ban the endorser of a false or misleading advertisement from making endorsement of any products or services in the future, for a period that may extend to one year. The ban may extend up to three years in every subsequent violation of the Act.
File complaints of violation of consumer rights or unfair trade practices before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
Composition:
It comprises a Chief Commissioner as head, and only two other commissioners as members, one of whom will deal with matters relating to goods while the other will look into cases relating to services.
It has an Investigation Wing, headed by a Director General.
District Collectors too, have the power to investigate complaints of violations of consumer rights, unfair trade practices, and false or misleading advertisements
International Relations
Topic: Europe
3. Crimean peninsula
Why in the news?
Kyiv forces had struck a large oil terminal overnight on the occupied Crimean peninsula as Moscow claimed the capture of another village in east Ukraine.
Kyiv has ramped up strikes targeting Russia’s energy sector in recent months aiming to dent revenues used by Moscow to fund its invasion, now grinding through its third year.
About Crimean peninsula:
It is a peninsula in Eastern Europe.
It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov.
The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukraine.
To the east, the Crimean Bridge, constructed in 2018, spans the Strait of Kerch, linking the peninsula with Krasnodar Krai in Russia.
The Arabat Spit, located to the northeast, is a narrow strip of land that separates the Syvash lagoons from the Sea of Azov.
Across the Black Sea to the west lies Romania and to the south is Turkey.
The population is 2.4 million, and the largest city is Sevastopol.
It has been under Russian occupation since 2014.
Sea of Azov:
It is an inland shelf sea in Eastern Europe connected to the Black Sea by the narrow (about 4 km. ) Strait of Kerch, and sometimes regarded as a northern extension of the Black Sea.
It is bounded by Russia on the east, and by Ukraine on the northwest and southwest (the parts of Ukraine bordering the sea are currently under Russian occupation).
It is an important access route for Central Asia, from the Caspian Sea via the Volga–Don Canal.
Topic: Multilateral Organizations
4. Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Why in the news?
Myanmar will send a Foreign Ministry official as its representative to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit this week for the first time in three years, as the junta struggles to quell a civil war.
ASEAN had barred Myanmar's junta leaders from its summits in the wake of their February 2021 coup.
About Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN):
It is a regional grouping that aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its ten members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
It was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the founding fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
The motto of ASEAN is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”.
Its secretariat is located in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Fundamental principles of ASEAN are:
Mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and national identity of all nations.
The right of every State to lead its national existence free from external interference, subversion, or coercion.
Non-interference in the internal affairs of one another.
Settlement of differences or disputes in a peaceful manner.
Renunciation of the threat or use of force.
Effective cooperation among themselves.
Strengths of ASEAN as a regional grouping:
Regional stability: ASEAN has played a significant role in promoting peace and stability in the region, including through the signing of the TAC and the ARF.
Economic growth: ASEAN has a combined population of more than 630 million people (2021) and a growing middle class, making it a dynamic and rapidly expanding market for trade and investment.
It is a major hub of manufacturing and trade.
It is the 4th largest exporter in world trade.
Cultural diversity: ASEAN is home to a rich and diverse range of cultures, languages, and religions, which creates opportunities for cross-cultural exchange and cooperation.
Strategic location: ASEAN is strategically located at the crossroads of major trade routes, making it an important hub for trade and commerce.
Example: Strait of Malacca, which is a key shipping route for world trade.
Diplomatic engagement: ASEAN has free trade agreements (FTAs) with a number of countries like India, Japan, New Zealand, China, South Korea, etc.
Significance of ASEAN for India:
It constitutes the 3rd largest market in the world. This can help India utilize its export potential.
It is a crucial component of India's "Act East" policy and its "Indo-Pacific" strategy, reflecting the convergence of interests in the region.
Strengthening relations with ASEAN countries can serve as a counterbalance to China's influence in the region.
Connectivity initiatives with ASEAN can boost economic development in India's northeastern states by positioning them as a hub for regional trade and commerce.
It plays a central role in promoting a rules-based security architecture in the Indo-Pacific region, which is essential for the region's stability and prosperity.
Science and Technology
Topic: Diseases
5. Trachoma
Why in the news?
The World Health Organization has validated India as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem.
Trachoma is one of the leading causes of blindness globally. Though trachoma is preventable, blindness from trachoma is extremely difficult to reverse.
India joins Nepal and Myanmar in the WHO South-East Asia Region and 19 other countries globally that have previously achieved this feat. Trachoma continues to be a public health problem in 39 countries and is responsible for the blindness of about 1.9 million people.
About Trachoma:
It is a disease of the eye caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
It is a public health problem in 42 countries, and is responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of about 1.9 million people.
Blindness from trachoma is irreversible.
It is a neglected tropical disease and the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness.
Transmission:
Infection spreads through personal contact (via hands, clothes, bedding or hard surfaces) and by flies that have been in contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person.
With repeated episodes of infection over many years, the eyelashes may be drawn in so that they rub on the surface of the eye.
This causes pain and may permanently damage the cornea.
To eliminate trachoma as a public health problem, WHO recommends the SAFE strategy.
The SAFE strategy includes: Surgery to treat the blinding stage (trachomatous trichiasis); Antibiotics to clear the infection, particularly the antibiotic azithromycin; Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvement, particularly improving access to water and sanitation.
The 17 other countries that have eliminated trachoma are: Benin, Cambodia, China, Gambia, Ghana, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malawi, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Togo and Vanuatu.
Topic:
6. Fruit Fly
Why in the news?
Scientists have announced a milestone in neurobiological research with the mapping of the entire brain of an adult fruit fly, a feat that may provide insight into brains across the animal kingdom, including people.
The research detailed more than 50 million connections between more than 139,000 neurons in the insect, a species often used in neurobiological studies. The research sought to decipher how brains are wired and the signals underlying healthy brain functions.
About Fruit Fly:
It is a species of fly in the family Drosophilidae.
Its other names are lesser fruit fly, or less commonly the "vinegar fly", "pomace fly", or "banana fly".
Its geographic range includes all continents, including islands.
It is typically used in research owing to their rapid life cycle, relatively simple genetics with only four pairs of chromosomes, and large number of offspring per generation.
It's also inexpensive to breed and has a short life cycle.
Many of the genes that control the body pattern in it are similar to those in higher animals, including humans. Because the fly's gene set is more economical, a mutation in a single gene often directly reveals the gene's function.
It shares 75% of the genes that cause human diseases. It's used in research on human health and disease, including human disease modelling, drug discovery, and regenerative biology.
It can be used to study evolutionary advantages, such as the reproductive success of polygamous male flies.
Polygamous male fruit flies have more offspring with genetic diversity, which increases their reproductive success.
Unlike humans, the sex and physical appearance of fruit flies are not influenced by hormones. The appearance and sex of fruit flies are determined only by genetic information.
It exhibits sexual dimorphism. Female fruit flies are substantially larger than male fruit flies, with females having bodies that are up to 30% larger than adult males.
It is yellow-brown, with brick-red eyes and transverse black rings across the abdomen.
It is polygamous.
Its lifespan is about 50 days from egg to death.
Topic: Processed Foods
7. Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs)
Why in the news?
A diet rich in “advanced glycation end products (AGEs)”, which includes ultra-processed and fast food, is among the leading cause of India being the world’s diabetic capital, notes a first-of-its-kind clinical trial finding published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition recently.
About Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs):
Also known as glycotoxins, these are harmful molecules formed by the glycation and oxidation of lipids and proteins.
Glycation is the process of combining other molecules with sugars.
Oxidation is the process of combining other molecules with oxygen.
AGEs are formed in your body by metabolism, but the major source of AGEs is food.
They are formed in food by grilling, toasting, roasting, broiling, frying, and other high-temperature cooking.
Tobacco use is yet another source of AGEs.
AGEs are present in the body at all times.
Their production in the body increases with age.
At low levels, they don't cause significant injury.
However, they cause cell and tissue damage when they reach high concentrations.
AGEs combine with receptors located on blood vessels and several other organs to cause damage to organ systems.
They can impact the function of proteins within the cells, alter the behavior of hormones, cytokines, and free radicals, and modify the extracellular matrix between cells.
They activate inflammatory and other destructive processes in many systems of your body.
They are involved in the development of various chronic inflammatory diseases such as type II diabetes mellitus, vascular and cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, and arthritis.
Hyperglycemia (high blood levels of glucose) is one condition associated with more AGE production, causing blood vessel damage in people with diabetes.
Topic: Biology
8. miRNA
Why in the news?
The label “post-transcriptional” reflects the upheaval due to the discovery of miRNA by Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun, who were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology 2024. Until then, biologists believed cells could not or did not regulate the expression of genes once the transcription process began.
As the Academy put it, miRNA allows “the precise regulation of gene activity so that only the correct set of genes is active in each specific cell type.
About miRNA:
MicroRNAs, or miRNAs, are small, non-coding molecules of RNA.
They are typically around 19-24 nucleotides long and play an important role in determining how much messenger RNA (mRNA), which carries genetic information, eventually gets translated into protein.
Role in human body
These microRNAs act as molecular switches, fine-tuning the expression of genes in different cell types and under varying conditions.
They regulate the production of proteins by bonding with and subsequently silencing the mRNA at an appropriate juncture. The process is called post-transcriptional gene regulation.
MicroRNAs help fine-tune various cellular processes like development, growth, and metabolism. Their role is essential in maintaining normal cell function, and disruptions in microRNA activity have been linked to diseases such as cancer.
Mutations in genes coding for microRNAs have been found in humans, causing conditions such as congenital hearing loss, eye and skeletal disorders.
Significance of microRNA discovery:
It has provided scientists with new tools to investigate gene regulation and has significantly expanded our understanding of how genetic information is processed and utilized in living organisms.
Genome:
It is the complete set of genetic information in an organism.
In living organisms, the genome is stored in long molecules of DNA called chromosomes.
In humans, the genome consists of 23 pairs of chromosomes located in the cell’s nucleus, as well as a small chromosome in the cell’s mitochondria.
Topic: Space missions
9. PSLV-C37
Why in the news?
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said that the upper stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C-37 (PSLV C-37 mission) re-entered the earth’s atmosphere.
The PSLV-C37 mission was launched on February 15, 2017, with Cartosat-2D as the main payload along with another 103 satellites as co-passengers, namely INS-1A, INS- 1B, Al-Farabi 1, BGUSAT, DIDO-2, Nayif 1, PEASS, 88 Flock-3p satellites, and 8 Lemur-2 satellites.
The space agency created history as it was the first mission to launch 104 satellites with a single vehicle. After injecting the satellites and passivation, the upper stage (PS4) was left at an orbit of approximately 470x494 km.
About PSLV-C37:
It was the 39th mission of the Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) program and its 16th mission in the XL configuration undertaken by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Launched on 15 February 2017 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, the rocket successfully carried and deployed a record number of 104 satellites in Sun-synchronous orbits in a single mission.
It broke the earlier record of launching 37 satellites by a Russian Dnepr rocket on 19 June 2014. This record was held until the launch of the Transporter-1 mission by SpaceX on 24 January 2021 which launched 143 satellites.
Its primary payload was the Cartosat-2D Earth observation satellite, while the secondary payloads included a total of 103 nanosatellites, including two experiments from ISRO.
The 101 international satellites were launched as part of a commercial arrangement between several firms and ISRO's commercial arm Antrix Corporation Limited, run under the auspices of the Indian Government's Department of Space.
Sun-synchronous orbit:
It is a particular kind of polar orbit.
Satellites in SSO, travelling over the polar regions, are synchronous with the Sun.
They are synchronized to always be in the same ‘fixed’ position relative to the Sun.
The satellite always visits the same spot at the same local time. For example, passing the city of Paris every day at noon exactly.
The satellite will always observe a point on the Earth as if constantly at the same time of the day, which serves a number of applications.
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