GS Analyst
Daily Current Affairs

In the first visit by a top Indian official to China, the two countries discussed proposals for disengaging in the two remaining friction areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to create conditions to “restore normalcy” in relations.

• The discussion was held as part of the 26th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC).
• It remained the first such talk held in person since July 2019.
• Objective:
  • The discussed proposals for disengagement were for remaining areas in an open and constructive manner, which would help in the restoration of peace and tranquillity along the LAC in the Western Sector and create conditions for the restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations.
• Key points of discussion:
  • Both sides agreed to move forward on the basis of the consensus previously reached, accelerate the resolution of issues related to the western section of the Sino-Indian border, and reach a mutually acceptable solution at an early date.
  • Focus on other measures to ease the situation in border areas and to return the border to normalised control.
  • Both sides agreed to hold military talks.

The disputed location:

• China claims about 90,000 sq. km of India’s territory in the northeast, including Arunachal, while India says 38,000 sq km of land in China-occupied Aksai Chin should be part of Ladakh.
• There are several disputed areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), including in Himachal, Uttarakhand and Sikkim.
• Patrolling Point 15 (PP15) in Hot Springs and PP17A near Gogra Post were among the four friction points between India and China.
• The other two are PP14 in Galwan Valley and the north bank of Pangong Tso.
  
  
• In Ladakh, the disputed areas include:
  • Pangong Tso lake
  • Galwan Valley, where Shyok and Galwan rivers meet
  • Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO), is a key northern region close to the Karakoram Pass.
  • The Hot Springs-Gogra area of the LAC
  • Demchok is close to the southernmost part of the LAC in Ladakh.
  • Chushul, located on the southern bank of Pangong Tso Lake, has an airstrip and is near Rezang La pass on the LAC.
  • Spanggur Gap along the LAC has roads leading to it from either side. India’s Chushul-Demchok road in area is a critical communication link.
  • Samar Lungpa
  • Trig Heights
  • Chumar
  • Dumchele
  • Kongka La

The Supreme Court held its decision on “corrupt practice” under the Representation of People’s Act, (RPA) 1951 by any candidate during or after the election process.

About the case:

• In Anugrah Narayan Singh v. Harsh VardhanBajpayee, the Apex Court dismissed the ruling which declared the election of an MLA as “null and void”.
• The court has mentioned that under the corrupt act of RPA 1951, publishing a false statement of fact about his character and conduct to influence the outcome of his election, knowingly is a crime.
• The candidate should disclose his/her educational qualification for free and fair conduct of elections.
• However, now the Apex Court reversed its own decision in view that, no one in India votes for a candidate based on their educational qualifications and, thus providing false information about an electoral candidate’s qualifications cannot be considered a “corrupt practice”.

What are ‘corrupt practices’ under the RPA, 1951?

• Section 123 of the Representation of People Act defines ‘corrupt practices’ to include bribery, undue influence, false information, and promotion or attempted promotion of “feelings of enmity or hatred between different classes of the citizens of India on grounds of religion, race, caste, community, or language” by a candidate for the furtherance of his prospects in the election.
• Section 123 (2) deals with ‘undue influence’ which it defines as any direct or indirect interference or attempt to interfere on the part of the candidate or his agent, or of any other person, with the consent of the candidate or his election agent, with the free exercise of any electoral right.
• Section 123 (4) extends the ambit of “corrupt practices” to the intentional publication of false statements which can prejudice the outcome of the candidate’s election.

Related judgements:

• In 1994, the Supreme Court’s ruling in ‘SR Bommai v. Union of India’, which otherwise held secularism to be a part of the ‘basic structure’, mentioned that, “whatever the attitude of the State towards the religions, religious sects, and denominations, religion cannot be mixed with any secular activity of the State.”
• The encroachment of religion into secular activities is strictly prohibited, the court stated while adding that the same is clear from sub-section (3) of Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• The top court in its 2013 judgment in ‘ SubramaniamBalajivs State of Tamil Nadu’ held that promises of freebies cannot be termed a corrupt practice.

In its first-ever Transfer of Technology (ToT) in defence articles, Indian firm ICOMM, a group company of Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL), signed an agreement with UAE-based small arms company CARACAL.

• UAE’s EDGE Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BAE Systems, a global leader in advanced technology solutions, to explore potential collaboration and co-creation opportunities to enhance technologies and capabilities across the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• Under the MoU announced at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX), the new strategic partnership will see both companies bring their collective expertise in cyber, maritime, air, and defence technologies in support of the UAE’s industrialisation ambitions to become a leading global hub for future defence and security solutions.

Key points:

• It marks the first-ever transfer of technology for defence articles from the UAE to India.
• As per the agreement, ICOMM will locally manufacture the Abu Dhabi-headquartered CARACAL’s complete line of small arms for the Indian market under the ‘Make in India’ and ‘AtmaNirbhar Bharat’ initiatives.

• ICOMM will manufacture the full range of CARACAL small arms, including;
  • The versatile CARACAL EF pistol, modern CMP 9 submachine gun, CAR 814, CAR 816 and CAR 817 tactical rifles, CAR 817 DMR tactical sniper rifle, CSR 50 anti-material sniper rifle, CSR 338 and CSR 308 bolt action sniper rifles and the CSA 338 semi-automatic sniper rifle.
• CARACAL’s complete line of small arms will be produced at the ICOMM’s design, development and manufacturing centre in Hyderabad.

Significance of the pact:

• ICOMM for collaboration in the Indian market is a key objective for CARACAL, as India continues to realise its sovereign defence ambitions.

India-UAE defence ties:

• Under the 11th India-UAE Joint Defence Cooperation Committee meeting that took place in New Delhi, the two sides focus on further expansion of the scope and complexities of the existing joint exercises between the armed forces of both sides.
• UAE also helped in the overflight of Rafales fighter jets from France to India. It had provided support by sending its own Airbus MRTT refuelling aircraft to support new Rafale fighters on their journey over a 7,000-km flight from France to India.
• In 2020 and 2021, former Army Chief Gen MM Naravane and the former Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria visited that country respectively.
• In IDEX and NAVDEX 2021, India had significant participation in both exhibitions based in Abu Dhabi.
• Also, IAF participated in the Dubai Air show in 2021, and for the fourth time in five years participated in a major multinational air combat exercise in the UAE “Desert Flag’’. 

Plans to revive the dying Adi Ganga — the original channel of River Ganga passing through the city of Kolkata has allotted around Rs.650 crore to revive the ancient river and combat pollution under National Mission for Clean Ganga.

• Adi Ganga was chosen from India as a part of a project to address pollution in South Asian Rivers.

Where Adi Ganga lies?

• The Adi Ganga is a palaeodistributary of the Bhagirathi, which was described as an important navigational channel in the mediaeval Bengali literature (Mangalk Vyas).
• Its degenerated course is still traceable for 36 km downstream of Calcutta up to Surjyapurin the South 24-Parganas district, West Bengal.
• Beyond Surjyapur, at least eight different possibilities of its path and/or outfall positions (at Diamond Harbour, Kulpi, Gangasagar, Saptamukhi estuary and Hariyabhanga estuary) have been suggested by different authors.
• After critical evaluation of each of them, it can be fairly ascertained on the basis of the Mangalk vyas, satellite images and aerial photos that the Adi Ganga continued for another 40 km up to the Gajmuri-Dighirpara region.

Historical significance:

• Adi Ganga was the river’s main channel till the 17th century.
• Around 1750, a canal was dug to connect the main course of the river with the lower part of River Saraswati adjacent to Howrah.
• The resultant Hooghly became the main river stretch and Adi Ganga turned into a secondary tributary. 

Why it needs conservation?

• Adi Ganga continued to thrive till the 1970s and since then, its water quality gradually deteriorated until it turned into a sewer and got rapidly encroached, even fully filled up just beyond the boundary of the city’s municipal corporation.
• The river is now practically dead and has turned into a sewer with a load of faecal bacteria crossing 17 million in 100 millilitres of river water, according to the state pollution control board data.

About the mission:

• The panellists at an international water conference organised in Sylhet decided to explore the possibility of a pan-south Asian project to address the pollution of one key river each in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, China and Malaysia. Adi Ganga was selected from India.
• The West Bengal government accepted in a report filed in the Calcutta High Court that 7,851 illegal structures with about 40,000 residents, 90 temples, 69 godowns, 12 cattle sheds and others existed in the 15.5 km stretch of the river passing through Kolkata and its southern fringes.
• Subsequently, the Calcutta High Court directed the removal of all encroachments within a month. But another report, close to two decades after the first order, showed that the encroachments still existed.

The leaking of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea is the biggest single event that led to the massive release of climate-damaging methane. But the incident is a “drop in the ocean compared to the amount of methane released globally,” found the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

About methane:

• Methane is a rapidly accelerating part of the climate problem.
• It is the primary component of natural gas, and it warms the planet more than 80 times as quickly as a comparable volume of atmospheric CO2 over a comparable amount of time.
• Sources of Methane:
• Biological Sources
• Agriculture
• Paddy rice cultivation
• Emissions from Fuel and Industries

What is Nord stream project?

• Owned by the Russian energy giant, Gazprom, Nord Stream Pipeline is the longest subsea pipeline.
• It is an export gas pipeline that runs under the Baltic Sea carrying gas from Russia to Europe.
• The gas for Nord Steam comes mainly from the Bovanenkovo oil and gas condensate deposit in Western Siberia.
• Nord Stream consists of two pipelines, which have two lines each.
• Nord Stream 1 that runs from Vyborg in Russia to Lubmin in Germany was completed in 2011.
• Nord Stream 2 that runs from Ust-Luga in Russia to Lubmin in Germany was completed in 2021.
• Both the pipelines together can transport a combined total of 110 billion cubic metres of gas a year to Europe for at least 50 years.
• The Nord Stream crosses the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of several countries including Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany, and the territorial waters of Russia, Denmark, and Germany.
• While both pipelines are not currently running commercially, they had millions of cubic metres of gas stored in them.
  

 The leak event:

• Two leaks were detected on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, both in an area northeast of the Danish island of Bornholm.
• Sweden had reported two separate underwater explosions, very close to where the leaks occurred.
• Possible causes of the leak- The investigations have not yet revealed the cause behind the leaks.
• Possible causes range from technical malfunctions to a lack of maintenance, to even possibly sabotage (deliberate damage or destruction of equipment or property which belongs to the enemy).
• The European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) called the leaks acts of sabotage.
• Russia, which controls the pipeline, has not ruled out sabotage either.
• Ukraine said the leaks were likely the result of a terrorist attack carried out by Russia.
• Various European countries, such as Sweden and Denmark, have launched separate investigations into the matter.

Concerns:

• Economic impact- European gas prices immediately spiked after the reports of the leaks emerged.
  • As a result of the leak, all the stored gas is escaping.
  • The pipelines are unlikely to provide any gas to Europe through the forthcoming winter months.
  • Depending on the intensity of the damage caused by these ruptures, permanent closure of the Nord Stream lines was also a possibility.
• Environmental impact- Methane is a large component of natural gas and is also a potent greenhouse gas.
• It is the second-largest contributor to climate change after CO2.
• Other impacts- Vessels could lose buoyancy if they enter the area, and there might be a risk of leaked gas igniting over the water and in the air.

Thekeeladi site is found near Madurai at banks of River Vaigai, where the excavations from 2015 prove that an urban civilisation existed in Tamil Nadu in the Sangam age.

Link between Sangam Age and Keeladi site:

• The Sangam age is a period of history in ancient Tamil Nadu which was believed to be from the third century BCE to the third century CE.
• Excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department (TNSDA) have pushed the Sangam age further back.
• In 2019, a TNSDA report dated the unearthed artefacts from Keeladi to a period between sixth century BCE and first century BCE.
• The findings in the TNSDA report placed Keeladi artefacts about 300 years earlier than the previously believed third century BCE.
• A recent ASI report discovered that Sangam age waspresent in 800 BCE based according to archaeological findings.

Significance of the site:

• Keeladi could also provide crucial evidence for understanding the missing links of the Iron Age (12th century BCE to sixth century BCE) to the Early Historic Period (sixth century BCE to fourth century BCE) and subsequent cultural developments.

Links with Indus valley civilisation:

• The unearthed Keeladi artefacts have led academics to describe the site as part of the Vaigai Valley Civilisation.
• The findings have also invited comparisons with the Indus Valley Civilisation while acknowledging the cultural gap of 1,000 years between the two places.
• Till now, the gap is filled with Iron Age material in south India, which serves as residual links.
• However, some of the symbols found in pot sherds of Keeladi bear a close resemblance to Indus Valley signs.
• A lot of digging and study has to be done to establish the links between these two civilisations.
  

Key findings from the site:

• Keeladi has all the characteristics of an urban civilisation, with brick structures, luxury items and proof of internal and external trade.
• It comes across as an industrious and advanced civilisation and has given evidence of urban life and settlements in Tamil Nadu during the Early Historic Period.
• Keeladi has also added to the credibility of Sangam Literature.

• Gold ornaments, copper articles, semi-precious stones, shell bangles, ivory bangles and ivory combs reflect the artistic, culturally rich and prosperous lifestyle of the Keeladi people.
• Agate and carnelian beads suggest import through commercial networks while terracotta and ivory dice, gamesmen and evidence of hopscotch have been unearthed revealing their pastime hobbies.