Prelim Bits 20-10-2023 | UPSC Daily Current Affairs

Regional Rapid Transit System - NaMo Bharat

India’s first indigenous mass rapid system, RRTS covering Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut section was inaugurated recently.

• RRTS - Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) is a new rail-based, semi-high-speed, high-frequency commuter transit system dedicated to regional connectivity.
• RRTS, now called as NaMo Bharat, was designed with a speed of 180 kmph.
• It is modelled on systems such as the RER in Paris, Germany, Austria and USA.
• Aim - To ensure balanced and sustainable urban development through better connectivity across the National Capital Region (NCR).
• Coverage - 8 RRTS corridors have been identified for development in the NCR.
• Phase - I - Out of 8, 3 corridors have been prioritised to be implemented in Phase-I
  • Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Corridor
  • Delhi-Gurugram-SNB-Alwar Corridor
  • Delhi-Panipat Corridor

• Construction & Implementation - National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), a joint venture of Union government and the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
• NCRTC comes under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

References

1. The Hindu | Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor
2. The Indian Express | RRTS

NGT report on sinking Island

National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued an order to the Coastal Zone Management Authorities (CZMAs) of coastal States and UT’s to consider the expert panel recommendations into the Integrated Island Management Plans (IIMPs).

• An expert panel was constituted by the Principal Bench of the NGT to frame policies and measures to protect submerging islands due to the rise of sea level and global warming.

Recommendations of the NGT on Sinking Islands

• Policy Reforms
  • Formulate Island-specific sustainable development and tourism policies.
• Protection measures
  • Controlled nature-based activities on marine and coastal fronts.
  • Follow alternative climate-resilient practices in the islands.
  • Explore nature-based ecosystem restoration and diversify economic development.
  • Protect coral reefs during coral bleaching.
  • Construction of coastal structures for the protection of highly eroded shoreline zones.
• Technological measures
  • Install GPS/GNSS station in each tide gauge station to accurately quantify the future sea-level rise.
  • Monitor shoreline change rate to identify hotspot zones.
  • Conduct field-based topographic surveys to map the accurate inundation of islands.
  • A nationwide Island assessment study to understand accurate vulnerability of the coastal areas.

Indonesia’s capital ‘Jakarta’ is rapidly sinking into the Java Sea and is described as world’s most rapidly sinking city.

In India, Munroe Thuruthu, a string of 8 islets at the confluence of the Ashtamudi Lake and the Kallada River in Kerala is slowly sinking.

References

1. The Hindu| Recommendation of NGT on Sinking Islands
2. The Hindu | NGT asks coastal zone to integrate recommendations

India-UK 2+2 dialogue

Recently, the inaugural India-UK 2+2 Foreign and Defence Dialogue was held in New Delhi in 2023.

• 2+2 Dialogue - It is a format of meeting of the foreign and defence ministers of India and its allies on strategic and security issues.
• It enables the partners to better understand and appreciate each other’s strategic concerns.

At present, India has 2+2 dialogue with UK (2023), Australia (2021), Russia (2021), Japan (2019) and USA (2018).

• India-UK 2+2 dialogue - A mechanism to discuss and review all aspects of India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
• They agreed to hold the 2^nd 2+2 Dialogue in United Kingdom (UK) in 2024.

The “India-UK Roadmap 2030” is a practical plan adopted in 2021 to transform the relationship between United Kingdom and India.

References

1. The Hindu| Inaugural Indo-UK 2+2 Dialogue
2. Indian Express| 2+2 Dialogue of India

Red Tide

The National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) has started the investigation on the issue of sea turning red in Puducherry.

• Cause – Harmful algal bloom (HABs) which are red in colour.
• It is caused by dinoflagellates (microscopic algae).
• Impact – HAB’s produce toxins that kill fish and make shellfish dangerous to eat.
• It depletes levels of oxygen in the water, which can kill the living creatures.
• It can block sunlight from reaching organisms deeper in the water.
• Reason for Red Tide in Puducherry
  • Anthropogenic influences like sewage mixing into the sea
  • Reversal of ocean currents
  • Increased concentration of nutrients in the coastal waters

Algal bloom is a rapid increase in the population of algae in freshwater or marine water systems.While most of them are beneficial as they form basis of ocean food web, some are harmful and toxic.

National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR)

• Ministry -  Ministry of Earth Sciences
• Origin - In 1998, the Project Directorate ‘Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management (ICMAM-PD)’ was developed in Chennai.
• In 2018, ICMAM-PD was designated as the NCCR.
• Objective - To develop and improve the country's capabilities in addressing the challenging problems prevailing in the coastal zone.
• To offer scientific and technical support to coastal communities for integrated and sustainable use of resources towards the socio-economic benefit of the society.

References

1. The Hindu| Red Tide in Puducherry
2. Live Mint| Algal Bloom