Current Affairs 20 January 2025

Content

1. Landfill Continues to Haunt Ghazipur Residents Amid Struggle for Basic Amenities
2. Hardship of Harvesting Sweetness Is Wearing Down the Date Palm Jaggery Makers of Bengal
3. What the Ceasefire Deal Means for Palestine and Israel
4. How Is TRAI and the Government Combating Spam?
5. What Did the ILO Report State About International Migrants?
6. Nine Navies Hold Joint Drills in Strategic Straits Between Indian Ocean and the Pacific

Landfill continues to haunt Ghazipur residents amid struggle for basic amenities

Context :Residents’ Desperation for Change:

• Ghazipur landfill site, located on the Delhi-U.P. border, remains a major issue for local residents.
• Despite official claims of landfill size reduction, residents remain skeptical and see little improvement in their daily lives.
• A pungent odor persists, which residents have become desensitized to, highlighting the extent of the problem.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance ), GS 3(Environment)

Longstanding Problem:

• The landfill, spanning 70+ acres, has been operational since 1984 and is one of Delhi’s largest waste disposal sites.
• Situated near residential colonies, farms, and slaughterhouses, the site’s proximity to landmarks like Qutab Minar intensifies the environmental and social concerns.
• The lack of basic amenities—such as regular tap water supply and affordable electricity—adds to the residents’ struggles.

Infrastructural Challenges:

• Water and electricity supply is a significant concern. Residents rely on water tankers arriving only every third day, and high electricity costs exacerbate their challenges.
• The area’s poor infrastructure also contributes to the residents feeling neglected and isolated.

Environmental Health Risks:

• Fires at the landfill, especially during summer and monsoon seasons, release toxic gases, worsening the living conditions for nearby residents.
• The environmental impact, including air pollution and health risks from prolonged exposure to hazardous substances, is a significant issue.

Hardship of harvesting sweetness is wearing down the date palm jaggery makers of Bengal

Context: Date palm jaggery-making, a centuries-old tradition in West Bengal’s Sundarbans, Jaynagar, and Belpahari, is under threat due to urbanization, deforestation, and climate change. Families like Maniruddin Banshi’s rely on gathering date palm sap during winter to produce jaggery (nolen gur) for growing market demand.

Relevance : GS 3(Agriculture)

Challenges:

1. Changing Work Conditions:
   1. Labor-intensive process requiring early mornings and precarious conditions.
   1. Workers face hazards like wildlife encounters, sharp tools, and extreme weather.

• Declining Interest in Youth:
  • Harsh work and low financial returns deter younger generations.
  • Experienced harvesters lament the lack of successors to preserve the craft.

• Environmental Pressures:
  • Urbanization and deforestation reduce date palm tree populations.
  • Rising temperatures lower sap quality, while over-tapping damages trees.

• Quality and Adulteration:
  • Increased demand leads to compromised quality with added sugar and adulteration.
  • Moa makers observe a decline in authentic nolen gur production.

• Failed Initiatives:
  • A 2021 initiative to plant 2,000 date palm trees failed due to poor techniques.
  • Efforts to promote sustainable practices lack systemic implementation.

Cultural and Economic Implications:

• Nolen gur production is vital to West Bengal’s heritage, with Jaynagar’s moa as a symbol of cultural pride.
• Scholars emphasize collectivizing sap collectors and researching climate impacts to conserve the tradition.

What the ceasefire deal means for Palestine and Israel

Context of Ceasefire:

• The ceasefire comes after more than a year of intense conflict between Israel and Hamas.
• It marks a significant shift in the ongoing humanitarian crisis, with key aspects focused on hostages, aid, and reconstruction.

Relevance : GS 2(International Relations )

Hostage Release:

• The ceasefire process includes the freeing of hostages from both sides.
• As of January 15, 2025, approximately 98 hostages remain, down from 251 captured on October 7, 2023.
• A limited number of hostages are confirmed to be alive, underscoring the grave humanitarian toll.

Humanitarian Crisis:

• Gaza’s food supply and overall humanitarian conditions have worsened significantly post-October 7, 2023, when the Hamas attack occurred.
• Humanitarian aid deliveries plummeted from 500–600 trucks per day to a much smaller number, leading to extreme shortages.
• Integrated Food Security Phase Classification data show that 85% of Gaza’s population is in ‘crisis,’ ‘emergency,’ or ‘catastrophic’ food insecurity since December 2023.

Destruction of Infrastructure:

• According to UNOSAT data (as of December 1, 2024), approximately 69% of Gaza’s structures were damaged.
• A total of 60,368 structures were completely destroyed, with additional severe and moderate damage to tens of thousands of others.
• Northern Gaza and Rafah governorates saw the highest increase in damage, with major areas like Jabalya heavily impacted.

Reconstruction Efforts:

• The ceasefire is expected to trigger large-scale rebuilding efforts in Gaza, which has been left devastated by the war.
• The reconstruction is intended to address the massive destruction of homes, infrastructure, and essential services.
• Humanitarian aid and materials will be prioritized for the reconstruction phase, but logistical challenges remain due to ongoing damage to roads and the limited entry of aid.

Geopolitical Implications:

• The ceasefire could be a step toward stabilizing the region, although past agreements have often been short-lived.
• The involvement of international players in ensuring aid and overseeing reconstruction will be critical.
• The dynamics of the conflict, particularly the involvement of external powers, remain complex, with global responses ranging from support for Israel’s security concerns to calls for humanitarian relief for Palestinians.

Challenges and Outlook:

• Humanitarian Assistance: Ensuring consistent aid flow and addressing critical food and medical shortages will remain a challenge.
• Reconstruction and Governance: The effectiveness of Gaza’s reconstruction will depend on both local governance and international support. The local leadership structure, with Hamas at the helm, complicates the process.
• Long-term Peace Prospects: The ceasefire is fragile and its success depends on maintaining a balance between humanitarian relief, security concerns, and future peace negotiations.

How is TRAI and the govt. combating spam?

TRAI’s Role in Combatting Spam:

• TRAI regulates Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC), commonly referred to as spam.
• Introduced the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) registry in 2007 to block unwanted calls and messages from telemarketers.
• Developed a DND app for users to register their preferences and report violations.
• Under the Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation (TCCCPR), 2018, repeated violations by telemarketers result in blacklisting.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance)

Blockchain Technology in Fighting Spam:

• In 2024, TRAI mandated the use of blockchain (distributed ledger) to store a real-time, updated list of approved SMS senders.
• Blockchain ensures immutability, preventing tampering and ensuring traceability of messages sent from registered senders.
• A significant rule mandates the use of sender IDs (instead of phone numbers) for commercial messages.
• This approach makes it harder for spammers to bypass regulations, ensuring transparency and accountability in commercial messaging.
• Blockchain technology improves tracking by maintaining a tamper-proof record of who issued a message before it is sent.

Effectiveness of Current Measures:

• For DND Users:
  • Registered DND users experience reduced spam from legitimate businesses adhering to regulations.

• Challenges with Evolving Spam Tactics:
  • Spam tactics are continually evolving, with fraudsters often using disposable 10-digit phone numbers or international VoIP numbers to evade detection.
  • Fraudulent calls, particularly those related to cyber scams, have increased due to the rise of digitalization and online scams.
  • Spam calls originating from international numbers further complicate enforcement.

• Limitations:
  • While spam from legitimate businesses is reduced, fraudulent and scam calls are more difficult to control in real-time.

Government Measures to Combat Spam:

• Sanchar Saathi Portal:
  • A portal by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for reporting fraudulent calls and messages.
  • Partners with law enforcement, banks, and other entities to track and cancel numbers associated with unauthorized telemarketing or scams.

• Telecom Security Operation Centre:
  • Monitors suspicious internet traffic in real-time to identify and block fraudulent activities.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) by Telecom Companies:
  • Telecom companies like Airtel use AI to label suspicious calls as “Suspected Spam,” helping users identify potential threats.
  • Other telcos are adopting similar AI-driven methods.

• Suspicious International Calls:
  • Telcos are now labeling international calls on smartphones, aiding in distinguishing between legitimate and fraudulent international traffic.

Do-Not-Disturb (DND) Registry:

• A service that allows telecom customers to opt out of unsolicited commercial communications by registering their preference to block spam.
• Messages and calls from telemarketers to registered users are prohibited under the TRAI guidelines.

What did the ILO report state about international migrants?

Global Presence of International Migrants (IMs) in 2022

• IMs accounted for 4.7% of the global labour force in 2022, equating to 167.7 million workers.
• This marks a 30 million increase from 2013.
• The total number of IMs consists of 155.6 million employed and 12.1 million unemployed but available for work.
• Growth rate of IMs slowed to less than 1% annually from 2019 to 2022, influenced by the pandemic and related economic disruptions.

Relevance : GS 2(Social Issues)

Age and Gender Distribution

• Male IMs constituted 61.3% of total international migrant workers employed.
• Female IMs were 38.7% employed, despite representing 64.9 million in the overall migrant population.
• The gender gap exists due to lower female representation in the overall migrant population, even though the number of female IMs has steadily increased since 2015.
• Prime-age workers (aged 25-54) made up 74.9% of IMs, with the majority employed in this age range.
• Youth workers (aged 15-24) represented 9.3% of IMs, while older workers (55-64) were 12.5%, and senior workers (65 and above) were 3.4%.

Sectoral Distribution of IMs

• Services sector: Largest proportion of IMs employed, comprising 68.4% of the total migrant workforce.
  • Female IMs dominated this sector, with 80.7% of them working in services, compared to 60.8% of male IMs.
  • Non-migrant women and men in the services sector were at 59.4% and 46.3%, respectively.
• Industry sector: 24.3% of IMs were in industry, with a similar share of 24.2% for non-migrants.
• Agriculture sector: Only 7.4% of IMs worked in agriculture, compared to a much higher proportion of 24.3% for non-migrants.

Factors Behind Higher Male Migration

• Economic and social factors: Cultural norms, greater demand for low-skill manual labor, and economic opportunities in sectors like construction, manufacturing, and care work tend to attract more male migrants.
• Gender-specific roles: Women face more barriers, including social restrictions, lower access to work visas, and fewer opportunities in sectors typically dominated by migrants, such as construction.

Top Host Countries for IMWs

• High-income countries remain the largest hosts of international migrants, absorbing 68.4% (114 million) of the global migrant workforce, especially in services sectors like healthcare, elder care, and education.
• Upper-middle-income countries hosted 17.4% (29.2 million) of IMs.
• Regional distribution:
  • Northern, Southern, and Western Europe: 23.3% of IMs, with only a slight increase in share since 2013.
  • North America: IMs made up 22.6% of the labour force, though this is declining slightly, with a 1% decrease over the last decade.
  • Arab States: Accounted for 13.3%, which saw a 3% decline since 2013.

Key Drivers of IM Growth

• Ageing populations in high-income countries are prompting a growing demand for workers, particularly in caregiving sectors.
• The care economy (elder care, healthcare, and child care) is a significant factor attracting migrant workers, especially women.
• Economic opportunities in host countries, combined with demand for skilled and low-wage labor, continue to make high-income nations attractive for international migration.

Nine Navies hold joint drills in strategic straits between Indian Ocean and the Pacific

Exercise Overview:

• The La Perouse multilateral naval exercise is being hosted by France in the strategic straits of Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok, crucial maritime chokepoints between the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean.
• Participating countries: Australia, Canada, France, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the U.K., and the U.S.
• The exercise is scheduled from January 16 to 24, with the French Carrier Strike Group, led by the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, at the helm.
• India has deployed its guided-missile destroyer INS Mumbai for the exercise.

Relevance : GS 2(International Relations)

Strategic Importance of the Straits:

• The straits — Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok — serve as vital maritime gateways for global trade, particularly between the Indian Ocean and Pacific.
• These straits are key chokepoints, providing access to the Indian Ocean region, making them essential for global maritime security.
• Increasing presence of the Chinese Navy in the region has elevated the importance of these routes for both trade and military operations.

Maritime Safety and Security Focus:

• The core objective of the exercise is to enhance maritime safety and develop interoperability among the navies involved.
• The exercise aims to improve the ability of participating navies to operate collectively during maritime crises, ensuring swift and coordinated responses.
• The exercise includes training on handling human-induced risks like maritime accidents, environmental hazards, illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes and tsunamis).

IORIS Communication and Coordination System:

• One of the significant advancements in the exercise is the use of IORIS (Indian Ocean Regional Information Sharing System), a communication and coordination platform.
• IORIS enables real-time information exchange and collaborative crisis management, ensuring effective coordination in the face of maritime security challenges.
• The integration of IORIS enhances the interoperability of the participating navies, allowing them to respond in a synchronized manner during a maritime crisis.

Geopolitical Implications:

• The exercise is a clear demonstration of strengthened maritime partnerships and growing naval cooperation among the Indo-Pacific nations.
• It underscores the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific region and highlights the collective security measures against rising security challenges, particularly from the expanding Chinese maritime presence.
• The cooperation between these nine nations signals a united stance on maritime security in the region, especially in protecting vital global maritime routes.

Environmental and Security Risks:

• The region is exposed to various environmental and security risks, including maritime accidents, environmental hazards, and natural calamities.
• The exercise is designed to enhance the collective ability to mitigate such risks, ensuring the protection of these vital straits, which are heavily trafficked by both commercial vessels and military ships.