Context

The Mammoth direct air capture and storage plant, operated by Swiss company Climeworks, has recently launched in Iceland. 

• Carbfix is the storage partner of Swiss company Climeworks.
• Objective: Climeworks aims to scale up its operations to megaton capacity by 2030 and gigaton capacity by 2050.

About Mammoth Plant

It is the world’s largest direct air capture plant.

• It is designed to extract carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from the atmosphere.
• This plant is 10 times larger than Climeworks’ previous plant, Orca.
• The Mammoth Plant is operated by Swiss company Climeworks.
  • It is located in Iceland and has a nominal CO₂ capture capacity of 36,000 tons per year when fully operational.
    • This capacity is nearly four times the amount currently being captured globally.
• Operational features
  • The plant takes advantage of Iceland’s geothermal power.
    • It comes from the Hellisheiði power station operated by ON Power.
  • Use of giant fans: Mammoth uses large fans to pull air into a collector containing filter material.
    • When the collector is full, it is sealed, and the temperature is raised to release the captured CO2 from the material.
      • This process makes it possible to gather  highly concentrated gas.
    • Role of carbfix: Carbfix, an Icelandic company specializing in CO2 storage, mixes CO2 with water and injects it 1,000 meters deep underground.
      • The CO2 mixes with basalt rock underground and turns into stone over about two years through a mineralization process. 

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Reasons behind Critics of the Mammoth Plant Technology

Critics of the Mammoth Plant technology raise several concerns:

• Limited Impact as a Climate Change Solution

  • DAC is not a replacement for reducing emissions: While DAC can play a role, experts emphasize it cannot replace the need for rapid and large-scale emissions cuts.
  • Implausibly large-scale capture unrealistic: The International Energy Agency (IEA) cautions that relying on capturing unrealistic amounts of carbon is an illusion because 
    • According to IEA report estimates,  the world would need to capture an immense amount (32 billion tonnes) of carbon annually  to keep global heating under 1.5C.

• Technical and Environmental Challenges

  • High electricity demand: Currently, 45 million tonnes of carbon is currently captured worldwide each year so scaling up DAC to capture significant amounts of carbon would put immense pressure on electricity supplies. 
  • Potential harm to marine ecosystems: OceanCare criticizes the use of seawater in DAC, fearing negative impacts on ocean habitats due to large-scale water extraction.

• High Cost

  • Current DAC technology is expensive: Critics argue that capturing carbon with direct air capture (DAC) technology is too expensive.
    • Existing DAC plants, like Climeworks’ Orca plant (a smaller version of Mammoth), are evidence.
      • OceanCare reports the cost of Orca capturing CO2 is over $1,000 (€929) per tonne.

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Context

India and Moldova recently signed an agreement which will allow Visa free travel to diplomatic and official passports holders of either country after coming into force.

The Republic of Moldova

• Location: It is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, on the northeastern corner of the Balkans. 
• Neighbors: Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south.
  • The unrecognized breakaway state of Transnistria lies across the Dniester river on the country’s eastern border with Ukraine. 

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• Capital city: Chișinău
• Ties with India:
  • Diplomatic relations between both the countries were established on March 20, 1992 and enjoy warm, stable and friendly relations.
  • The Indian embassy to Moldova is accredited from Bucharest, Romania; while Moldova has an embassy in New Delhi.

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Context

Recently, The Centre has warned customers against  the deceptive practice known as “drip pricing.”

• Objective: To educate consumers about the potential risks associated with this strategy.
  • This pricing strategy can lead to unexpected charges due to “hidden charges” beyond a product’s listed Maximum Retail Price (MRP).

What is drip pricing?

• Drip pricing is a deceptive pricing strategy. 
  • Breaking of price into different components: This pricing strategy  involves breaking down the complete price of a product or service into different components, like the base price, taxes, fees, and charges for optional features or services.
    • Disclosure of price of a part: Initially, businesses may advertise only the base price or a discounted rate,
    • The full amount of an item is disclosed later during the purchase process by adding on extra fees or charges as customers move through the buying process.
• Withdrawal of essential fees: This method often involves withholding essential fees or omitting necessary add-ons.  
  • The charges associated with drip pricing may include withholding crucial fees such as local taxes or booking charges, or omitting necessary add-ons like internet access or amenities essential for product or service usage.

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Impact of Drip Pricing

• For Consumers:
  • Misleading Pricing Practices: Drip pricing can deceive consumers by hiding  the true cost of a product or service.
    • It makes it challenging for them to make well-informed purchasing decisions and leaves them feeling misled.
  • Comparison Shopping Hurdles: The lack of upfront disclosure of the full price makes it hard for consumers to compare prices across different vendors.
    • It reduces market competition and potentially results in consumers overpaying.
  • Customer Dissatisfaction: Unexpected additional fees revealed at checkout can provoke frustration and dissatisfaction among consumers, tarnishing their overall purchase experience.
• For Businesses:
  • Short-Term Gain, Long-Term Consequence: While drip pricing may initially attract customers with lower advertised prices, it can ultimately harm a company’s reputation and erode customer trust and loyalty over time.
  • Disadvantage for Transparent Sellers: Businesses that maintain transparent pricing structures may find themselves at a disadvantage compared to competitors using drip pricing tactics.
    • Despite offering fair upfront prices, they may appear less appealing initially, potentially impacting their market competitiveness.

Laws and Regulations for the Safety of Consumers in India

• National Consumer Helpline: The Department of Consumer Affairs has provided helpline number NCH 1915 for assistance” to customers to get assistance in case of facing any drip pricing practice.  
• Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023:  In 2023, The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has released guidelines for the prevention of dark patterns.
  • These guidelines serve to safeguard consumer interests, promote  transparency and fair practices in online transactions. These guidelines prohibit 
    • False Urgency: This involves falsely creating a sense of urgency or scarcity to prompt immediate purchases, including manipulating product popularity or falsely limiting product quantities.
      • Examples include presenting misleading data on product demand or describing a sale as exclusive and time-bound.
    • Basket Sneaking: This refers to adding extra items, payments, or donations to a user’s checkout without their consent.
      • It results  in a higher total payment than intended.
    • Confirm Shaming: Utilizing fear, shame, or guilt to coerce users into purchasing products or continuing subscriptions, with the primary aim of commercial gain by influencing consumer choice.
    • Forced Action: Imposing actions on users that necessitate additional purchases or subscriptions unrelated to their original intent.
    • Bait and Switch: Advertising a specific outcome based on user actions but delivering a different outcome, deceiving users and undermining their trust.
    • Use of “Trick Question”: It refers to the intentional use of unclear or ambiguous language, such as confusing phrasing or double negatives, with the aim of misleading or diverting a user from taking the intended action

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Subject: GS 02 International Relation

Context

India along with 142 other nations voted in favor of a draft U.N. General Assembly resolution determining qualification  for a full United Nations membership for The Palestine State.

• Palestine, in its capacity as a Non Member Observer state, does not have the right to vote in the General Assembly or to put forward its candidature to U.N. organs.

The Resolution On Palestine’s bid for full UN Membership

The  Admission of new Members to the United Nations Resolution was introduced by the Arab Group in support of the State of Palestine’s full membership in the UN.

• The resolution got 143 votes in favor including India,  Nine against (Includes The United States,  Israel, Argentina, Czechia, Hungary, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Papua New Guinea)  and 25 abstentions.

• The resolution was presented by the UAE, as Chair of the Arab Group in May and the The 193-member General Assembly met for an emergency special session to vote upon the resolution.

• Passed:The Resolution was passed to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine and called on the Security Council to reconsider Palestine’s request to become the 194th member of the United Nations  in accordance with Article 4 of the Charter of the U.N.
  • It recommended for the Security Council to reconsider the matter favourably, in the light of this determination by UNGA.

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• • Is Palestine a full member now?

    • NO, The recent Resolution, while providing Palestine with some new rights and privileges, broadly reaffirms that it remains a non-member observer state without full U.N. membership,  as the resolution only Determined whether The State of Palestine is qualified for membership or not.

• Additional Rights:  It will be effective as of the 79th session of the General Assembly that begins in September in 2024.

• • • The right to be seated among member states in alphabetical order
    • The right to make statements on behalf of a group, including among representatives of major groups.
    • The right of members of the delegation of the State of Palestine to be elected as officers in the plenary and the Main Committees of the General Assembly.
    • The rights to speak on all issues not just those related to the Palestinians and Middle East
    • To propose agenda items and reply in debates
    • It allows Palestinians to participate in U.N. and international conferences convened by the United Nations, but without the right to vote.

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Subject: GS: II: Polity & Governance 

Context

Recently, The Supreme Court granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case stemming from the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

What is Bail? 

• It refers to the temporary prison release of a person awaiting trial or an appeal. 
• It is secured by depositing security before a legal authority to guarantee his eventual presence in court.

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Types of Bail in India: There are three types of Bail in India 

• Regular Bail: A regular bail is simply the release of an accused from jail to ensure his attendance at the trial. 
  • Section 437 and 439 of the CrPC: The accused has the right to be freed from such confinement under section 437 and section 439 of the CrPC. 

• • Interim Bail: It is issued for a short period. Interim bail is granted to an accused before the hearing for regular or anticipatory bail. 

• Anticipatory Bail or Advance Bail: It is similar to obtaining advance bail under Section 438 of the CrPC. 

• • Section 438: A bail under Section 438 may be bail before arrest, and an individual cannot be arrested by the police if the court has granted anticipatory bail. 

• • Application: In recent years, this has become an important problem because corporate competitors and other prominent persons sometimes seek to frame their opponents with fake charges.

About Interim Bail 

Grounds for Granting INTERIM BAIL

The Hon’ble Delhi High Court stated in Parminder Singh and Ors. v. The State of Punjab, (2001), that interim bail should be permitted in the following cases: 

• When there is no chance that the accused will escape prosecution,
•  When there is no chance that the defendant may tamper with the evidence 
• When there is no justifiable reason to conduct a confined interrogation, and 
• When the hearing on the anticipatory bail claim must be postponed.

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Specific Conditions 

• These are laid in accordance with Section 438(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. 
  • The court has the authority to set restrictions on how one may interact with witnesses, whether directly or indirectly. 
• The subject must also show up in person for police interrogation. 
• He also cannot threaten or entice the individual who is aware of the facts in any way, whether it be direct or indirect.
• Additionally, he is not permitted to leave the country or the court’s jurisdiction without the court’s consent. 
• Other specific conditions may be laid in case of granting of bail on special grounds such as on the basis of health, marriage or the passing of his loved one.

Legal Provisions Related to INTERIM BAIL

• In CrPC Sections 436 to 450 CrPC deal with the provisions of bail. 
  • There aren’t any direct legal provisions regarding the grant of Interim bail in the CrPC. 
  • But S.438 Crpc allows the High Courts and Sessions Courts to pass an interim order in case of pending of the plea of anticipatory bail in the court.

Also Read: Need For Reforming Bail Laws In India: Supreme Court

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Context

Recently, the Supreme Court directed Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat to not accord final permission for mining activities in the Aravalli hill range until further orders to safeguard the Aravalli ecosystem.

Illegal Mining in Aravalli Range 

• Impact on Existing Leases: The ban does not affect existing valid mining leases, ensuring continuity for ongoing mining operations. 

• However, stringent regulations and monitoring mechanisms to be implemented to mitigate environmental risks. 

• Scrutiny and Approval Process: States are allowed to process mining lease applications within the Aravalli region. 

• However, final permission for mining activities requires approval from the Supreme Court, ensuring adherence to environmental norms. 

• Formation of Committee for Uniform Definition : To tackle the issue of inconsistent definitions of the Aravalli Hills, the Supreme Court ordered the constitution of a committee.. 

• This committee’s task is to establish a unified definition of the Aravalli range across the concerned states. 

• • The committee shall comprise, among others, the Secretary of MoEF&CC, the secretaries of forest of all these four states and one representative each of the FSI and CEC.
• The aim of this initiative is to streamline regulatory efforts and improve environmental protection measures.

About Aravalli Range

The Aravallis of Northwestern India, one of the oldest fold mountains of the world.

• • Formation : These are fold mountains of which rocks are formed primarily of folded crust, when two convergent plates move towards each other by the process called orogenic movement.
    • The Aravallis date back to the Proterozoic Era when a pre-Indian subcontinent collided with the mainland Eurasian Plate. 
  • Extent & Location : It  extends from Raisina Hills in New Delhi to  Khedbrahma and Palanpur in Gujarat,in a south-west direction, passing through southern Haryana and Rajasthan, and ending in Gujarat.  
    • The total length is approximately 692 kilometers.  
    • About  80%  of  this  length, which is approximately 550 kilometers, is located in the state of Rajasthan.

• Two, main ranges – the Sambhar Sirohi Range and the Sambhar Khetri Range in Rajasthan, 

• • • • Highest Peak : 1722 m (5656 ft) Guru Shikhar (MuntAbu, Arbuda Mountain Ranges)

• Physiography : Aravalli Range as a rough, rocky, and hilly terrain. 

• It is characterized by its rugged topography, with rocky outcrops and hilly  landscapes. 

• • • Rivers : Major Flowing rivers Banas, Luni , Sahibi etc 
    • Minerals : Carbon dating has shown that copper and other metals mined in the ranges date back to at least 5th century BC.
      • Major Minerals : Cooper, Zinc, Marble, Lead, Silver etc

• Tribal communities :  the Bhil,  Bhil-Meena, Meena,Garasia, and others

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Significance of Aravalli Range

• Rich Source of Minerals: Non-ferrous minerals like Zinc, Gold, silver and ferrous minerals like Copper ore and lead.

• • Nonmetallic minerals and building stones like marble, limestone etc. 

• Rich Habitat of Biodiversity: it has rich biodiversity, hosting 300 native plant species, 120 bird species, and various unique animals such as jackals and mongooses. etc.

• Combat Desertification: The hills also moderated the wind velocity and checked the spread of the Indian Desert (Thar) towards eastern Rajasthan, Indo Gangetic plains, Haryana and Western UP.

• Important Drainage System: Aravallis have provided a watershed between the Indus basin in the North West and the Ganga basin in the East.

• Rich Forest acts as Green lungs: Its forested patches have acted as green lungs against the air pollution and soil erosion.

• Cultural: The hills and their forests retain cultural importance for local communities like the Gujjars. 
• Mount Abu serves as a pilgrimage site for Jains and is a well-visited tourist destination.

Concerns of Mining in Aravalli Range

• Environmental Degradation:  Over 25% and 31 hill ranges of the Aravallis in Rajasthan have disappeared due to illegal quarrying. 

• • Loss of diverse flora and fauna, including leopards, striped hyenas, golden jackals, nilgais, and palm civets. 

• Rivers originating in the Aravalli like Banas, Luni, Sahibi, and Sakhi have become dry. 

• Ecological Impact: Digging or mining to significant depths punctures aquifers, disrupting water flow and resulting in the drying of lakes and the formation of new ones. 

• • Man-wild animal conflicts arise as natural forests along the Aravallis are lost. 

• Altered natural drainage patterns threaten the hydrological system and water table in the entire NCR region. 

• • Intergenerational Equity: 
    • The exploitation of natural resources in the Aravalli range will burden future generations, emphasizing the need for legal frameworks to ensure intergenerational equity. 
  • Prevalence and Impact of Mining: 
    • In the absence of proper industrialization and sustainable livelihood sources, communities rely on mining and ancillary industries for income. 
    • The demand for construction material in NCR and adjacent areas drives mining activities in the Aravalli. 

• • Implementational Challenges:
    • Ambiguous law: Regarding inappropriate ownership and the process of privatization of land, No clear defined definition of Forest in particular to the region per se.  

Way Forward 

• • Enforcement Measures: Strict implementation of court orders banning indiscriminate mining and construction activities can significantly mitigate the loss of hill ranges in the Aravalli region. 
  • Reforestation Initiatives: Reforestation efforts can restore the Aravalli to their original vegetation state, similar to the successful restoration undertaken at the Aravalli Biodiversity Park. 
  • The Great Green Wall Project: Inspired by Africa’s ‘Great Green Wall’ project, India’s ambitious plan aims to establish a 1,400km long and 5 km wide green belt stretching from Gujarat to the Delhi-Haryana border. 
    • This initiative addresses increasing land degradation rates and the eastward expansion of the Thar desert.

• Community Engagement with proactive support of Government: Idea exchanges, wok shop, Awareness campaign etc.

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