12% Safeguard Duty on Steel

Context: The Indian government has recently imposed a 12% provisional safeguard duty on five steel product categories.

Key Details about the Notification

• Objective: To protect the Indian domestic industry against the surge of imports.
• Consequence:
• • It will protect Indian manufacturers from unfair imports, boost domestic production, and move towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.
  • The additional duty would also push raw material prices, impacting steel product exports as it will become less competitive.

About Safeguard Duty

• Safeguard measures in the form of duty or quantitative restrictions are trade remedies available to the World Trade Organisation member-countries. 
• Reason: They are imposed to provide a level-playing field to domestic players in case of sudden and significant increase in imports of a product with a potential to cause serious injury to domestic industry. 
  • These duties are applicable against all the countries with uniform rate of duty unlike the anti-dumping duties

PoshanTracker Application

Context: The PoshanTracker Application has received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2024 under the Innovation category on the occasion of the 17th  Civil Services Day.

About PoshanTracker Application

• The Poshan Tracker is a mobile-based application for dynamic identification of stunting, wasting, and under-weight prevalence among children and last-mile tracking of nutrition service delivery
• Primary User: The App is used by Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) to monitor and track the health and nutrition of children and mothers, as well as the activities of Anganwadi Centers (AWCs). 
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development 
• Aims: To enhance the capacity of AWWs and provide real-time data for better service delivery.
• Registered Beneficiaries: The app will register the details of the following beneficiaries ie,
  • Pregnant Women; Lactating Mothers; Children between 0-6 months; Children between 6 months to 3 years; Children between 3-6 years; Adolescent Girls between 14-18 years (for Aspirational Districts)
• Feature:
  • Real-time data: The app allows for real-time tracking of AWWs, AWCs, and beneficiaries, enabling timely interventions and improvements.
  • Data Visualization: The app features dashboards, charts, heatmaps, and other data visualization tools to track progress
  • Tracking Services: The app helps track services like Take Home Ration (THR), Hot Cooked Meal (HCM), vaccinations, and Growth Monitoring.
  • Geo-Tagging: The app uses geo-tagging to locate and monitor Anganwadi centers. 
  • Multiple Languages: The app is available in 24 languages.
  • Growth Charts and BMI Charts: The app provides tools for tracking the growth and nutritional status of beneficiaries, including charts for height, weight, and BMI.

‘HEALD’ Initiative

Context: The Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) launched HEALD on the occasion of World Liver Day.

About ‘HEALD’ initiative

• HEALD refers to Healthy Liver Education and Alcohol-associated Liver Disease Prevention. 
• It is India’s first nationwide initiative to prevent and manage liver disease, especially those related to alcohol use.
• Objective: Promote awareness, prevention, and treatment of liver diseases.
  • Emphasize the message: “Behind every failed liver lies a missed opportunity.”
• Key Features of HEALD
  • Multi-Sectoral Approach: Combines public education, early screening, medical and psychological treatment for alcohol use disorder, and liver disease management.
  • Awareness and Prevention: Focuses on spreading awareness, preventing liver diseases, and integrating policies for better healthcare.
  • Rehabilitation and Support: Includes mental health support, community outreach, and policy reforms to reduce stigma around alcohol dependence.

Buffer Zones in MP

Context: The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has given in-principle approval to a new scheme called ‘Development of Buffer Zones in its Tiger Reserves’.

About Buffer zone

• It is a region that surrounds wildlife areas such as national parks and tiger reserves.
• Acts as a transition between 
  • Strictly protected core area of the reserve and
  • Nearby human settlements. 
• Core zone:
  • It is a protected area where human activities are not allowed or regulated strictly to ensure preservation of wildlife . 
  • Human activities allowed in the core zone: scientific studies, wildlife monitoring, and patrolling to prevent poaching. 

About the scheme ‘Development of Buffer Zones in Tiger Reserves’

• This initiative is related to preserving wildlife heritage while fostering community involvement. 
• Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
• The program will be implemented over the financial years 2025-26 to 2027-28.
• Key Features of the Scheme
  • Fencing: Chain-link fences will be installed to protect ecologically sensitive buffer zones.
  • Wildlife Protection: Measures for wildlife safety and fire prevention will be implemented.
  • Grassland and Water Development: Efforts will focus on creating grasslands and ensuring proper water sources for wildlife.
  • Animal Health: Monitoring and treatment programs will be carried out for the health of wild animals.
  • Community Development: Skill development training will be offered to local communities.

Impact of Glass Industries on Taj Mahal

Context: The Supreme Court has asked the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to study the impact of glass industries on the Taj Mahal.

Impact of Glass Industries on Taj Mahal

• Air Pollution: Glass factories emit pollutants such as sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), and particulate matter, which react with moisture to form acid rain.
• Yellowing of the Marble: Acid rain and suspended particulate matter contribute to the yellowing and corrosion of the white marble of the Taj Mahal.

Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ)

• Environmental Protection Zone: TTZ is an area of about 10,400 sq. km around the Taj Mahal, established to protect the monument from air pollution and environmental degradation.
• Includes Multiple Districts: It spans parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, including cities like Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, and Bharatpur.
• Supreme Court Directive (1996): The Supreme Court of India issued directives in 1996 to reduce industrial emissions in the TTZ, including shifting or shutting down polluting industries.
• Focus on Air Quality: Strict regulations are enforced in the TTZ to limit emissions from vehicles, factories, and other sources to preserve the Taj Mahal’s white marble.

National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI)

• NEERI is a premier research institute under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), focused on environmental science and engineering.
• Established: 1958 
• Headquarter: Nagpur
• Core Functions: NEERI conducts research and provides solutions in areas like air and water pollution control, waste management, and environmental impact assessment.

Nano-Sulphur Can Boost India’s Mustard Yields: TERI Scientist

Context: Scientists at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) have developed nano sulphur technology that can significantly increase mustard yields and oil content in India.

What is Nano Sulphur?

• Nano sulfur is a fertilizer that uses tiny particles of sulfur (1-100 nanometers in size) to improve nutrient uptake and soil health.

Key Research Findings

• Yield Increase: Nano sulphur increased mustard yield from 1,156 kg/acre to 1,559 kg/acre, approximately a 30-40% rise.
• Oil Content:  Oil content improved by 28-30% with nano sulphur application.
• Comparison with GM Mustard (DMH-11): Genetically-modified mustard showed a yield increase of 10-40% in trials.
  

Benefits of Nano Sulphur in Mustard Farming

• Improved Plant Growth: Enhances plant height, branching, chlorophyll content, and overall biological yield.
• Economic Gains for Farmers: Replacing 50% of traditional sulphur fertilizers with nano sulphur could increase earnings by ₹12,000 per acre.
• Addresses Sulphur Deficiency: Up to 45% of Indian soils are sulphur-deficient, especially in key oilseed-growing states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh. 
• Better Nutrient Availability: Nano sulphur ensures 90-100% availability to plants, compared to just 10-15% with traditional sulphur.
• Prevents Leaching:  Its design ensures better retention and uptake by plant roots.

World Earth Day 2025

Context: On April 22, 2025, people across the world unite to mark 55th Earth Day, organising events and raising awareness of environmental threats.

• This year, Earth Day is being celebrated under the theme of ‘Our Power, Our Planet’, calling everyone to unite for renewable energy and make an effort to triple the amount of clean energy by 2030.

Origin of Earth Day

• Background: The concept of Earth Day can be traced back to the late 1960s, which saw a surge in public debate over environmental issues.
  • Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring (1962) and the Santa Barbara oil spill (1969) raised awareness about environmental destruction.
• The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, when a United States senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson organized a national demonstration to raise awareness about environmental issues.
• In 2009, the United Nations designated 22nd April as ‘International Mother Earth Day.
• Earth Day is globally coordinated by EARTHDAY.ORG, which is a non-profit organisation.
  • It was formerly known as Earth Day Network.

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