TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 3.7.2024

1. MODI’S VISIT TO MOSCOW

• Strategic, Economic, and Military Ties
• Strategic Partnership: The visit aims to reverse the perception of a “drift” in India-Russia relations and recharge the strategic partnership.
• Economic Ties: Discussions will focus on the rise in India-Russia trade, particularly due to India’s import of oil from Russia.
• Military Cooperation: The visit will address military ties, including the conclusion of the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) to facilitate more defense exchanges.
• Trade and Payment Issues
• Western Sanctions: Smoothing out payment issues arising from Western sanctions on Russia.
• National Currencies: Increasing the use of national currencies for trade, with about 60% of India-Russia trade now settled in national currencies.
• Russia-Ukraine Conflict – First-Hand Account: Gaining insights into the progress of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
• Recruitment Issues: Addressing concerns over the recruitment of Indians as Russian military “helpers.”
• Defense Supplies: Speeding up the supply of defense hardware and spares delayed by the conflict.
• Bilateral and Multilateral Relations
• Balancing Ties: Signaling to Western countries that India intends to maintain balanced relations with Russia despite the ongoing Russia- Ukraine conflict.
• Multilateral Summits: Indicating a possible shift in focus from multilateral summits to bilateral engagements, particularly given China’s presence at such summits.
• Diplomatic Signals: The visit serves as a diplomatic signal of the importance India places on its relationship with Russia.
• Infrastructure and Logistics
• Maritime Corridor: Addressing logistical challenges in the Chennai- Vladivostok maritime corridor, including insurance and port negotiations.
• International North–South Transport Corridor: Evaluating the effectiveness of the maritime route compared to other transport options.
• Siberian Investments: Discussions on sourcing minerals from Russia and addressing logistical issues such as insurance and port negotiations

2. SRILANKAN SUMMONS INDIAN ENVOY OVER SAILOR’S DEATH

• Incident: A Sri Lankan naval sailor died due to the “aggressive manoeuvres of an Indian trawler” during an operation to seize an Indian fishing vessel on June 25, 2024.
• Diplomatic Response: Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned an Indian High Commission official to express concern over the incident and the ongoing issue of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters.
• Arrests: Ten Indian fishermen were arrested, and their fishing trawler was confiscated.
• Historical Context
• Persistent Fisheries Conflict
• Palk Strait: The narrow body of water between Tamil Nadu (India) and the Northern Province of Sri Lanka has been a hotspot for fisheries conflicts.
• Bottom-Trawling: Indian fishermen have been using the destructive bottom-trawling method, which has been a major point of contention. This method involves dragging heavy nets across the sea floor, causing significant environmental damage and depleting fish stocks.
• Impact on Sri Lankan Fishermen: – Livelihoods: Northern Sri Lankan fishermen have faced severe pressure on their livelihoods due to the depletion of fish stocks caused by bottom-trawling.
• Demands: They have consistently demanded that Indian fishermen stop using bottom-trawling and have called for the resumption of talks between fishermen’s organizations from both countries.
• Bilateral Efforts and Agreements: 2016 Agreement: During a bilateral meeting in 2016, the Foreign Ministers of India and Sri Lanka agreed to end the practice of bottom-trawling at the earliest.
• Joint Working Group: Following the 2016 agreement, a Joint Working Group was established to address the issue of illegal fishing. The Group last met in 2022, but progress has been slow

3. CARBON DERIVED FROM COCONUT HUSKS CAN POWER SUPERCAPACITORS

• Researchers at the Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, have developed an innovative method to produce activated carbon from coconut husks, a major agricultural residue in Kerala. This activated carbon shows great potential for use in supercapacitors, which are crucial for sustainable energy storage solutions.
• Key Points of the Research
• Source Material  Coconut Husks: Coconut husks are abundant in Kerala and are typically considered agricultural waste. Utilizing them for activated carbon production adds value to this biowaste.
• Production Method Microwave-Assisted Method: The research team employed a microwave-assisted method to produce activated carbon. This method is innovative and was designed at the Centralised Common Instrumentation Facility (CCIF) at the college.
• Properties of Activated Carbon – Eco-Friendly: The process is environmentally friendly, making use of biowaste and reducing the need for synthetic materials.
• Cost-Effective: Coconut husks are low-cost, making the production of activated carbon economically viable.
• Supercapacitor Efficiency – High Performance: The prototype supercapacitors made from coconut husk-derived activated carbon were found to be four times more efficient than existing supercapacitors.
• Higher Capacitance: Supercapacitors have significantly higher capacitance and energy storage capacity compared to conventional capacitors, making them essential for sustainable energy storage.

4. MAHARASHTRA’S POOREST DISTRICT

• A bamboo ambulance, colloquially known as a bamboolance, is a makeshift stretcher used in remote and inaccessible areas to transport sick or injured individuals to the nearest healthcare facility.
• This innovative solution is particularly prevalent in regions with poor infrastructure and difficult terrain, such as Nandurbar district in Maharashtra.
• Key Features and Usage – Construction: Materials: The bamboolance is typically made from bamboo sticks and bedsheets. Two ends of a bedsheet are tied to bamboo sticks to create a stretcher.
• Portability: The lightweight and sturdy nature of bamboo makes it an ideal material for constructing these makeshift ambulances, allowing them to be easily carried over rough terrain.
• Functionality: Primary Use: Bamboolances are used to transport patients from remote hamlets to the nearest point where a motorized ambulance can take over.
• Accessibility: They are particularly useful in areas where roads are non-existent or impassable, especially during the monsoon season.
• Healthcare Context: Remote Areas: In districts like Nandurbar, many villages are cut off from basic healthcare services due to their geographical isolation.  
• Emergency Transport: Bamboolances serve as a crucial link in the emergency transport chain, ensuring that patients can reach healthcare facilities despite the lack of proper roads.

5. NEW CRIMINAL LAWS IN FORCE

• The significance of the three new criminal laws is multifaceted and aims to modernize and streamline the criminal justice system in India.
• Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS),
• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and
• Bharatiya Sakshya (BS)
• BNSS (Replaces Cr.PC): The BNSS prescribes the procedure and conditions for arrest, bail, and custody. It aims to simplify and modernize the procedural aspects of criminal law.
• BNS (Replaces IPC): The BNS updates the Indian Penal Code, 1860, to address contemporary issues, including the potential inclusion of sections on sexual crimes against men and transgender persons.
• BS (Replaces Indian Evidence Act): The BS modernizes the rules of evidence, making them more relevant to current technological and social contexts
• Technological Integration – CCTNS Upgrade: The Crime and Criminal Tracking Network Systems (CCTNS) will be significantly upgraded to allow for e-FIRs and zero FIRs, enhancing accessibility and efficiency.
• Electronic Evidence: The BNSS mandates compulsory audio-video recording of search and seizure operations and forensic examinations for serious crimes. This ensures greater transparency and accountability.
• State Autonomy
• Amendments by States: States have the freedom to amend certain provisions of the BNSS to suit their specific needs. This flexibility allows for localized adaptations while maintaining a unified national framework.

ONE LINER

1. General Upendra Dwivedi takes charge as 30^th Army Chief
2. The TN Chief Minister announced the government decision to establish Kalaignar Centenary Library in Tirchy.