Context: Jammu and Kashmir High Court quashed detention under Public Safety Act, Asserts India Not a Police State.

Key Highlights:

• The court ruled that in a democratic country like India, governed by the rule of law, individuals cannot be picked up and interrogated without the registration of a case against them.
• The petitioner, challenged his detention under the PSA, contending that the grounds of detention were merely a verbatim reproduction of police dossier contents without any reference to his involvement in a registered criminal case.
• The court criticized the District Magistrate’s reliance on the police’s dictated version in issuing the detention order and stressed that such actions are not acceptable in a democratic setup.
• This ruling underscore the importance of upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights of individuals, even in conflict-affected regions like Jammu and Kashmir, where preventive detention measures are often employed.

Context: The Bombay High Court judgement declaring right to sleep guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution.

Concerns:

• The court emphasized that the right to sleep is a basic human requirement and depriving individuals of this right violates their human rights, affecting their health and cognitive skills.
• The court directed the Enforcement Directorate to issue circulars and directions regarding the timing of recording statements under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to ensure compliance with human rights.
• The petitioner argued that there was no urgency for the ED to record his statement post-midnight.
• The court’s ruling highlights the importance of upholding human rights even during legal proceedings and underscores the need for procedural reforms to ensure justice without infringing on fundamental rights.

Context: Conflict between Iran and Israel could affect India’s oil trade.

Synopsis:

• India ranks as the world’s third-largest consumer of crude oil, highlighting its heavy dependence on imports to meet its energy needs.
• Fluctuations in oil prices can lead to inflationary pressures and trade imbalances, affecting various sectors and consumer spending.
• Competition with China for Oil: India competes with China for oil from various suppliers, including Iran.
• Monitoring Key Factors: It’s crucial for India to monitor key factors such as oil shipments through critical routes like the Strait of Hormuz.
• This route is essential for India’s oil supply from West Asia, making it vulnerable to disruptions.

Context: Ministry of Environment released reports identifying forest areas in compliance with SC order.

Synopsis:

• Forest Conservation Act (FCA): 2023 amendment questioned for excluding “deemed” forests from clearance requirement.
• Expert Committees: Established to identify “deemed” forests based on dictionary definition, irrespective of notification or ownership.
• Reports from 22 states lack detailed boundaries and specific locations, raising concerns about accuracy and completeness.
• Government’s statements to parliamentary committee contradict report details, leading to scrutiny.
• Inadequate information on deemed forests undermines conservation efforts and raises doubts about government’s commitment.

Context: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted above-normal monsoon rains for India in the June-September period.

Forecast:

• El Nino, which negatively impacts India’s monsoon, is expected to fade by June and transition into La Nina, which typically brings surplus rainfall in the latter half of the monsoon season.
• Positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and below-normal snow cover in the northern hemisphere and Eurasia are factors favouring plentiful rain in most parts of India.
• Suggests a 30% chance of ‘excess’ rainfall, which could significantly impact various sectors, including agriculture and infrastructure.

Prelims Connect (Institutions in news)

Context: Tamilnadu is the most economically diverse state in India

      Tamil Nadu’s decentralized industrialization model

• Medium-scale businesses rather than large corporations drive TN’s economic transformation.
• The state’s industrialization is decentralized, with clusters specializing in various industries.
• Major clusters include Tirupur for cotton knitwear, Coimbatore for spinning mills and engineering goods and Sivakasi for safety matches and firecrackers.
• These clusters have created employment opportunities in small urban and peri-urban centers, reducing dependence on agriculture and migration to big cities for work.
• TN’s entrepreneurial culture spans diverse communities.
• Entrepreneurship from below, combined with investments in public health and education, has propelled TN’s industrialization and diversification beyond agriculture.

Source: Indian Express

Context: New thrust on developing strategic infrastructure, both civilian and military, on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Strategic importance of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands:

• Location, near key maritime choke points like the Malacca Strait.
• Provide India substantial ocean space under UNCLOS
• Share international maritime boundaries with Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, and Bangladesh.
• Serve as the first line of defense against potential maritime threats from the East.

Slow infrastructure development has been attributed to

• Delayed realization of strategic significance, distance from the mainland, environmental clearances, and coordination challenges.

The way ahead:

• Strategic infrastructure development should focus on:
• Surveillance, deterrence against naval misadventure,
• Bolstering maritime economy, improving transportation,
• Reducing dependence on mainland support,
• Prioritizing key projects like airfields, ports, and road networks.
• Development efforts can be expedited through :
• International collaboration,
• Leveraging international arrangements like the Quad and IPOI,
• Streamlining environmental clearances.

Source: Indian Express

Context: April 13, 2024 marks four decades since the Indian Army pre-empted Pakistan and occupied the Siachen glacier

Siachen glacier(World’s highest and coldest battlefield) :

• It is on the Saltoro ridge, overlooking the Nubra valley in the Karakoram ranges.
• The origin of dispute dates back to Partition between India and Pakistan.
• The LoC was delineated up to NJ-9842 in the 1972 Shimla agreement.
• The glacier itself was left unmarked, leading to a dispute over ownership.
• India claims the area based on the Jammu and Kashmir Accession Agreement of 1947 and the Karachi Agreement of 1949.
• Pakistan interprets the ceasefire line differently, seeking control beyond Siachen for strategic connectivity.

Strategic significance of Siachen:

• Vital for India’s security, especially Ladakh and the Leh-Srinagar highway.
• Potential of collusive threats from both China and Pakistan.
• Siachen overlooks the Shaksgam valley, part of POK, ceded to China in 1963.
• Recent tensions, such as the 2020 standoff with China in Eastern Ladakh.

      Conclusion:

• Siachen and Sir Creek are considered “low-hanging fruits” in the India-Pakistan conflict.
• Demilitarization discussions have occurred at the level of Defence Secretaries but have faced hurdles.
• Recent tensions, including the 2020 standoff with China in Eastern Ladakh, has further complicated Siachen’s settlement.

Source: Indian Express

Context: India’s first winter Arctic mission ended successfully in March 2024.

 Reason behind winter Arctic mission:

• India’s policy shift was driven by scientific data revealing accelerated Arctic warming.
• New Delhi seeks to exploit Arctic Sea routes for trade to reduce costs and time.
• Geopolitical concerns arise from China’s Arctic investments and Russia-China cooperation.
• Tensions in the region, including Russia-Ukraine conflict, amplify India’s strategic considerations.

Other issues:

• Indian academia and policy communities are divided on Arctic engagement.
• Debate centers on economic impacts versus environmental concerns of Arctic resource exploitation.

Source: The Hindu

Context: Two Industrial Revolutions were the result mainly of people finding a way to extract hydrocarbons and using them

Hydrocarbons:

• Hydrocarbons like natural gas, coal, crude oil, and petroleum are found in subterranean rock formations.
• Reservoirs form when a resistant rock overlies a less resistant one, trapping hydrocarbons below.
• Petroleum geologists assess rock porosity and permeability to determine hydrocarbon potential.
• Kerogen, organic matter, is the primary source of hydrocarbons in rocks.
• Kerogen can originate from lacustrine, marine, or terrestrial ecosystems.
• Source rocks are sought out by geologists for their ability to yield hydrocarbons.
• Exploration involves modelling, observational data, and drilling smaller wells.

Source: The Hindu

Context: Removal of ‘journalistic exemption’ In Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023,

Key concern due to removal of ‘journalistic exemption”:

• DPDP Act require journalists to obtain consent before using personal data for stories.
• This includes details like meetings held, travel records and family investments etc.
• The Act also allows MPs to request deletion of such stories even after publication.
• Government can demand information from data processors, potentially jeopardizing journalists’ confidentiality with sources. in short crisp sentences

The way ahead:

• Lack of transparency in law formulation calls for robust public consultation processes.
• DPDP Act allows government to exempt data processors from its provisions.
• can use this power to exempt journalistic entities, preserving free speech.
• Journalistic exemption should be a part of core law text for clarity and stability.

Source: The Hindu