Current Affairs 20 February 2025

Content:

1. ‘Neither ecologically sustainable nor ethical’: new study expresses concern over translocation of African cheetahs 
2. Myanmar, Manipur, and strained borders 
3. On building resilient telecom infrastructure 
4. Did the iron age on Indian soil start from Tamil Nadu? 
5. Legal system should evolve to respect adolescent love: HC 
6. Only second animal to find its way by polarised moonlight found

‘Neither ecologically sustainable nor ethical’: new study expresses concern over translocation of African cheetahs

Study Overview:

• Conducted by the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS).
• Published in Frontiers in Conservation Science.
• Examines ethical, ecological, and welfare challenges of the African cheetah translocation to India.

Relevance : GS 3(Environment and Ecology)

Key Concerns Raised:

• High Mortality Rate:
  • 40%-50% mortality in the first phase vs. an expected survival rate of 85%.

• Stress and Health Issues:
  • Over 90 chemical immobilisations and frequent veterinary interventions indicate significant stress.

• Threat to Source Population:
  • Only ~6,500 mature African cheetahs remain in the wild.
  • Reliance on continuous imports (planned 12 cheetahs annually) is unsustainable and unethical.

Project Cheetah – Status:

• 20 cheetahs introduced at Kuno National Park (KNP), Madhya Pradesh.
  • 8 from Namibia (September 2022).
  • 12 from South Africa (February 2023).
• All individuals are currently in captivity due to early-phase challenges.

Ethical & Environmental Justice Issues:

• Lack of inclusive and participatory decision-making processes.
• Neglect of local communities’ consent and traditional knowledge systems.
• Risks creating human-wildlife conflicts rather than fostering coexistence.

Recommendations from Study Authors:

• Adopt a justice-informed conservation approach.
• Prioritize sustainable shared spaces between humans and wildlife.
• Move away from projects that cause distress and divide communities.

Broader Implications:

• Raises questions on the scientific merit and long-term viability of large-scale species reintroduction.
• Highlights the importance of ethical considerations alongside ecological objectives in conservation policies.

Myanmar, Manipur, and strained borders

Background of Myanmar’s Political Crisis

• Myanmar’s military coup (Feb 2021) faced mass public disapproval, sparking a civil disobedience movement.
• Armed resistance emerged through People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) and Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs).

• Tatmadaw’s countermeasures included heavy bombardment, especially in Sagaing, Chin, and Kachin regions, affecting India’s Northeast border security.

Relevance : GS 2(International Relations)

Refugee Influx and Border Management Challenges

• Approximately 95,600 Myanmar refugees in India (UNHCR, Dec 2024), with 73,400 arriving post-coup.
• Ethnic overlap (Mizo-Chin-Kuki) across the India-Myanmar border fuels both empathy (Mizoram) and tension (Manipur).
• Manipur’s Concerns: Refugee influx intensifies the Meitei-Kuki conflict and threatens ethnic balance.
• India plans to abolish the Free Movement Regime (FMR) to address demographic concerns; revised framework allows restricted movement within 10 km of the border.

Economic and Strategic Setbacks

• Border trade at Moreh (Manipur) has significantly declined, affecting India’s Act East Policy ambitions.
• Progress on the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway is stalled.
• Economic downturn along borders affects livelihoods, hindering Northeast India’s integration with Southeast Asia.

Comparative Perspective: India vs. China

• China’s Response:
  • Strengthened border security with fencing.
  • Engages with EAOs and uses economic leverage via UNSC influence.

• India’s Constraints:
  • Operates within a liberal democratic setup without UNSC leverage.
  • Lacks China’s flexibility to engage with Myanmar’s diverse actors.

Key Urgent Measures Needed

• Curtail insurgent linkages between Indian and Myanmar armed groups.
• Enhance humanitarian aid, health, and educational facilities along the India-Myanmar border.
• Engage Myanmar’s ethnic groups to reduce refugee inflow pressures.
• Collaborate with Myanmar’s neighbours to promote federal democratic reforms in Myanmar.

Long-Term Outlook and Policy Recommendations

• Despite instability, India must prioritize:
  • Border security with economic engagement goals.
  • Leveraging border haats and controlled trade channels to revive regional growth.
  • Sustaining infrastructure projects in Northeast India to reduce external dependency.
• Recalibrate policies to reopen trade routes when stability allows, ensuring Northeast India’s connectivity to Southeast Asia.

On building resilient telecom infrastructure

 Context:

• The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), launched by India in 2019, released a report on Indian telecom networks’ disaster preparedness.
• Telecom networks are vital for effective disaster communication across government bodies.

Relevance :GS 3(Disaster Management , Infrastructure)

Key Findings of the CDRI Report:

• Vulnerability Factors:
  • Overland cables prone to snapping during disasters.
  • Telecom towers often not designed for high wind speeds.
  • Heavy reliance on continuous electricity supply, frequently disrupted during disasters.

• Power Failure as Primary Challenge:
  • Major cause of network outages, outweighing direct cable or tower damage.
  • Backup systems (batteries, fuel) often inadequate during prolonged outages.

Elevated Risks in Coastal Regions:

• Coastal areas house undersea cable landing stations connecting India to global internet networks.
• Disruptions at landing points can cause widespread connectivity issues.
• High-speed winds and flooding pose dual risks to towers and power supply.

 Undersea vs. Overland Cables:

• Undersea Cables:
  • Less prone to physical disruptions compared to overland routes.
  • Repairs, however, are time-consuming and require specialized vessels.

• Overland Cables:
  • Easier to access but vulnerable to environmental and construction-related damages.

Recommendations & Solutions:

• Infrastructure Improvements:
  • Build towers to endure stronger winds, especially in cyclone-prone coastal states.
  • Enhance power resilience with elevated diesel generators to prevent flood disruptions.
  • Implement the “dig-once” policy to lay underground utilities together, reducing future damage.

• Operational Measures:
  • Maintain emergency fuel reserves (e.g., 50 liters per telecom operator during disasters).
  • Real-time damage tracking through improved data collection and coordination.

• Financial Interventions:
  • Promote parametric insurance to incentivize faster network restoration.

Broader Implications:

• Ensuring telecom resilience is crucial for timely disaster response and public safety.
• Small investments (like raising generator placement) can yield significant benefits.
• Long-term planning requires integrating local hazard profiles into telecom infrastructure designs.

Way Forward:

• Focus on robust power backups, enhanced infrastructure standards, and coordinated emergency protocols.
• Incorporate disaster risk modeling in telecom planning to minimize future vulnerabilities.

Did the iron age on Indian soil start from Tamil Nadu?

Context

• Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin released a report titled “Antiquity of Iron: Recent radiometric dates from Tamil Nadu”.
• He proclaimed that the Iron Age began on Tamil soil, dating back 5,300 years ago (4th millennium BCE).
• Asserted that Indian subcontinent history must acknowledge Tamil Nadu’s ancient past.

Relevance : GS 1(Culture , Heritage)

 What did earlier research indicate?

• Earlier belief: Iron usage in India dated to 700-600 BCE.
• Updated findings: Radiocarbon dating pushed it back to the 16th century BCE.
• Uttar Pradesh excavations (1996-2001):
  • Sites: Raja Nala-ka-tila, Malhar, Dadupur.
  • Artifacts: Furnaces, tuyeres, slags, finished iron tools.
  • Dates: 1800-1000 BCE, indicating large-scale iron production by 13th century BCE.
• Conclusion: Iron was used in the Central Ganga Plain and Eastern Vindhyas by early 2nd millennium BCE.

Tamil Nadu’s findings:

• Mayiladumparai Excavations (2022):
  • Initial date of Iron Age: 4,200 years ago (3rd millennium BCE).
  • Coincided with Copper/Bronze Age in northern India.

• Recent report (2024):
  • New dates: 3,345 BCE to 2,953 BCE → Mean age places Iron Age at first quarter of 4th millennium BCE.
  • Sites explored: Sivagalai, Adichanallur, Kilnamandi, Mayiladumparai.
  • Finding: Southern regions may have transitioned directly to Iron Age due to scarce copper resources.

 Why did CM M.K. Stalin make this assertion?

• Aimed to highlight Tamil Nadu’s early technological advancement.
• Emphasized that Tamil history deserves more national attention.
• Findings could reshape the timeline of ancient Indian metallurgy and cultural development.

Significance and implications:

• Challenges the narrative of iron’s westward diffusion into India.
• Opens avenues for further archaeological research in Tamil Nadu.
• Reinforces Tamil Nadu’s role in early agrarian and metallurgical innovations.
• Invites a pan-Indian historical reevaluation, recognizing regional diversity in technological evolution.

 Caution by scholars:

• While findings are groundbreaking, it does not conclusively establish that the Iron Age originated in Tamil Nadu.
• More extensive, peer-reviewed research is essential for global historical acceptance.

Legal system should evolve to respect adolescent love: HC

Context:

• The Delhi High Court addressed the complexities surrounding adolescent romantic relationships under the POCSO Act.
• The case involved a man acquitted of sexual assault charges filed by the father of a 16-year-old girl.

Relevance :GS 1(Society ) , GS 2(Social Issues, Governance )

Court Observations:

• Compassionate Approach: Legal systems should prioritize understanding over punishment in consensual adolescent relationships.
• Consent Consideration: The girl stated her relationship with the man was consensual, influencing the court’s view.
• POCSO Act Interpretation:
  • POCSO aims to protect children under 18 but doesn’t distinguish consensual relationships between adolescents.
  • Any sexual act with a minor under 18, even if consensual, falls under POCSO provisions.

Judgment Highlights:

• Justice Jasmeet Singh upheld the trial court’s February 2020 acquittal, calling it “well-reasoned.”
• Stressed that while safeguarding minors is essential, the law should recognize consensual adolescent love without exploitation.
• Emphasized adolescents’ right to form emotional connections while ensuring protection from coercion and abuse.

Implications:

• Sparks debate on reforming POCSO to account for consensual adolescent relationships.
• Raises concerns about balancing child protection with respecting adolescents’ autonomy.
• Potential for legislative discussions on age of consent nuances and societal perceptions of young love.

Only second animal to find its way by polarised moonlight found

Key Discovery:

• Two nocturnal bull ant species (Myrmecia pyriformis and Myrmecia midas) use polarised moonlight to navigate at night.
• This is the second recorded instance of an animal using polarised moonlight; the first was the dung beetle.

Relevance : GS 3(Environment and Ecology)

Background:

• Many nocturnal animals use the moon’s position to navigate, but clouds, trees, and lunar phases often obscure direct moonlight.
• Polarised moonlight, though a million times dimmer than polarised sunlight, creates distinct patterns in the sky that act as a natural compass.

Study Details:

• Conducted by Macquarie University, Sydney.
• Researchers used linearly polarised light and observed ants’ orientation changes when the light’s e-vector was rotated ±45°.
• Ants adjusted their paths according to changes in the polarisation pattern, confirming their ability to detect and use it for navigation.

Findings:

• Throughout Lunar Cycle:
  • Ants used polarised moonlight even under an 80% less intense crescent moon.
  • Heading shift magnitudes (direction changes) were stronger during waxing phases than waning phases.

• Shift Magnitudes:
  • During the full moon:
    • Nest 1 (6 m from foraging tree): 36.6º to 43º shifts.
    • Nest 2 (2.5 m from foraging tree): 21.5º to 28.9º shifts.
  • Longer distances increased the reliability of the navigation vector.

• Under New Moon:
  • Ants showed no significant change in paths, indicating reliance on polarised light presence.

Scientific Insights:

• Light becomes polarised when scattered in the atmosphere, creating an e-vector pattern—a consistent polarisation direction helpful for navigation.
• The pattern is simpler when the moon is near the horizon, aligning approximately along north-south axes.
• Similarities were noted between how ants use polarised sunlight and moonlight to return to their nests.

Future Research Directions:

• Investigate if ants use a time-compensated lunar compass or rely on additional cues like familiar landscapes.
• Compare navigation under obstructed and unobstructed sky conditions to understand cue integration.

Significance:

• Enhances understanding of insect navigation under varying light conditions.
• May inform biomimetic designs for navigation systems in robotics and technology.