Hundreds of houses have been flooded in several coastal areas of Kerala due to high sea waves, also known as swell waves. The worst affected regions include Alappuzha, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts.
About Kallakkadal
Kallakkadal is essentially coastal flooding during the pre-monsoon (April-May) season by swell waves on the southwest coast of India, according to a paper, Teleconnection between the North Indian Ocean high swell events and meteorological conditions over the Southern Indian Ocean, which was published in the journal AGU in 2016.
The term Kallakkadal, used by local fishermen, is a combination of two Malayalam words, including Kallan and Kadal.
Kallan means thief and Kadal means sea. In spoken language, these words were combined and pronounced as Kallakkadal, meaning ocean that arrives as a thief.
In 2012, the term was formally approved by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Causes Kallakkadal
Kallakkadal is caused by waves that are formed by an ocean swell, hence the name swell surge.
Ocean swells occur not due to the local winds, but rather due to distant storms like hurricanes, or even long periods of fierce gale winds.
During such storms, huge energy transfer takes place from the air into the water, leading to the formation of very high waves.
Such waves can travel thousands of kilometres from the storm centre until they strike shore.
Usually, Kallakkadal is a consequence of the strong winds in the southern part of the Indian Ocean, where an ocean swell is generated, and the waves then travel north to reach the coast in two or three days.
Latest Instance and forecast
The latest instance took place after a low atmospheric pressure system moved over the region around March 25 from the South Atlantic Ocean — 10,000 kilometres off the Indian coast.
The arrival of the pressure system resulted in strong winds, which led to the formation of swell waves of up to 11 metres in height. These waves have been hitting the Kerala coast and Lakshadweep since Sunday.
Kallakkadal occurs without precursors or any kind of local wind activity and as a result, it has been very difficult for the coastal population to get an advance warning. However, early warning systems like the Swell Surge Forecast System —launched by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) in 2020 — gives forewaring seven days in advance.
The swell surge is likely to continue impacting Kerala and other western coast regions of the country for the next two days before they gradually weaken.
INCOIS has stated high waves will move to the Tamil Nadu coast on Tuesday night.
It has alerted people in coastal areas vulnerable to sea erosion to take precautionary steps and ensure the safety of fishing vessels.
Why is Kallakkadal different from a tsunami?
Kallakkadal came under the spotlight after the 2004 tsunami that killed more than 10,000 people.
However, Kallakkadal is often mistaken to be a tsunami, which is a series of enormous waves created by an underwater disturbance usually associated with earthquakes occurring below or near the ocean.
India starts work on green steel policy
Time to Read :🕑 7 Mins
Why in news?
The Steel Ministry has begun work on formulating a comprehensive green steel policy. This policy will include defining the processes for making green steel products, the skill set required by the workforce, and the availability of funding support.
Key highlight
In layman’s terms, green steel refers to steel made with low carbon emissions.
The Steel Ministry is working on a detailed decarbonisation strategy. The reports of the committees are at various stages of discussion.
According to official data, the domestic steel sector accounts for 12 per cent of India’s greenhouse gas emissions with an emission intensity of 2.55 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of crude steel produced, as compared to the global average of 1.9 tonnes of CO2.
India is also exploring the process of having its own pure-hydrogen based DRI (direct reduction of iron) technology – something that will be unique to the country - and the detailed project report so prepared “is under – scrutiny”.
A consortium-based pilot for hydrogen based DRI facility is also being explored.
According to those aware of discussions, a pilot plant (where pure hydrogen based DRI making) so proposed involves integrated (steel) players, secondary players and CSIR Lab (Council for Scientific & industrial Research) for development of technology, “and IP (intellectual property) in the area of hydrogen-based DRI making”.
Industrial-scale hydrogen-iron making, also known as direct reduction of iron (DRI), is where the oxygen is removed from the iron-ore. But instead of using high carbon emitting fossil fuels, it is done through use of hydrogen with the waste gas being water.
So far, there are two prominent avenues of hydrogen-usage in steel making.
The first involves injection of hydrogen in a nozzle through which air is forced into a smelter of the blast furnaces as a partial substitution of pulverised coal injection).
The second involves mixing or blending or partial use of hydrogen with the natural gas or fossil fuel-based reductants in the DRI furnace.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has allocated ₹455 crore for piloting the use of hydrogen in steel making and has already formulated a scheme.
This will happen through injection of hydrogen in blast furnaces and DRI furnaces, as partial substitutes for PCI and natural gas, respectively.
India risking demographic dividend
Time to Read :🕑 7 Mins
Why in news?
The World Bank has warned that the South Asia region, including India, is not making full use of its demographic dividend.
More details about news
The pace of job creation in the region falls well short of the growth in its working-age population.
This is despite a strong projected growth of 6.0-6.1% for 2024-25 in the region, according to the World Bank's South Asia regional update, Jobs for Resilience.
Key highlight of the report
Observing that India’s employment growth was “well below” the average growth in its working age population for the 2000-23 period, the multilateral lender said consequently the country’s employment ratio had declined more than in any other country in the region except Nepal up till 2022.
However, preliminary data suggested a 3-percentage point rebound in 2023, which had partially reversed the decline.
Noting that India’s economy was expected to post a “robust growth” of 7.5% in FY23/24, the lender said this expansion coupled with recoveries in Sri Lanka and Pakistan, was largely driving the strong numbers for the South Asian region.
Still, the region could have 16% higher output growth if the share of its working-age population that was employed was on a par with other EMDEs, said by World Bank Chief Economist for South Asia.
The weak employment trends in the region were concentrated in non-agricultural sectors, reflecting challenges in the institutional and economic climate, which had stifled the growth of businesses.
Recommendations
Among its recommendations to encourage the growth of employment were supporting the participation of women in the economy, increasing access to finance, increasing openness to trade, easing financial sector regulations and improving education.
E-commerce sites told to classify food items correctly
Time to Read :🕑 7 Mins
Why in news?
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has observed that some e-commerce websites inaccurately categorize products like dairy-based beverage mixes, cereal-based beverage mixes, or malt-based beverages as health drinks or energy drinks.
About
India's food safety regulator has directed e-commerce platforms to accurately classify products listed as health and energy drinks on their websites.
The advisory was issued following observations by the FSSAI of products like dairy-based beverage mixes, cereal-based beverage mixes, or malt-based beverages being inaccurately categorized as 'health drinks' or 'energy drinks' on e-commerce sites.
FSSAI has advised all e-commerce food business operators or FBOs (food business operators) to promptly rectify this misclassification by removing or de-linking such drinks or beverages from the category of ‘health drinks' or 'energy drinks’ on their websites and place such products in the appropriate category as provided under the extant law,
The authority also clarified that the term 'health drink' lacks a definition or standardization under the FSS Act 2006 or its subsequent rules and regulations.
Additionally, the use of term ‘energy’ drinks is restricted to products officially licensed under the Food Category System (FCS) codes 14.1.4.1 and 14.1.4.2, which pertain to carbonated and non-carbonated water-based flavoured drinks
These are standardized under sub-regulation 2.10.6 (2) of the Food Product Standards and Food Additives Regulations 2011, specifically for caffeinated beverages.
Katchatheevu island controversy
Time to Read :🕑 11 Mins
Why in news?
Recently, the leader of the ruling political party criticized the main opposition party's decision regarding the island of Katchatheevu, accusing them of "callously giving it away."
About Katchatheevu island
Katchatheevu, in the Palk Strait, is a tiny island, measuring 285.20 acres, and is located about 14 nautical miles from Rameswaram in India.
The proximity of the isle to both countries, India and Sri Lanka, has been the cause of its being a bone of contention between the two nations for decades now.
St. Anthony’s Church there holds an annual festival, either in February or March, drawing devotees from both sides of the Palk Bay, a tradition which has been going on.
When did Katchatheevu become a part of Sri Lanka?
On June 26-28, 1974, the then Prime Ministers of India and Sri Lanka, Indira Gandhi and Sirima R.D. Bandaranaike, signed an agreement to demarcate the boundary between the two countries in the historic waters from Palk Strait to Adam’s Bridge.
A joint statement issued on June 28, 1974, stated that a boundary had been defined “in conformity with the historical evidence, legal international principles and precedents.”
It also pointed out that “this boundary falls one mile off the west coast of the uninhabited” Katchatheevu.
The pact brought to a close the talks held between the two sides since October 1921.
Initially, the negotiations were held between the governments of the then Madras and Ceylon.
How important has been Kachatheevu to the fisherfolk?
Fisherfolk of the two countries have been traditionally using the islet for fishing. Though this feature was acknowledged in the 1974 agreement, the supplemental pact in March 1976 made it clear that fishing vessels and fishermen of the two countries “shall not engage” in fishing in the historic waters, territorial sea and exclusive zone or exclusive economic zone of either of the countries “without the express permission of Sri Lanka or India.”
What triggered the negotiations between India and Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka claimed sovereignty over Kachatheevu on the ground that the Portuguese who had occupied the island during 1505-1658 CE had exercised jurisdiction over the islet.
India’s contention was that the erstwhile Raja of Ramnad [Ramanathapuram] had possession of it as part of his zamin.
According to a news item published by The Hindu on March 6, 1968 which was based on the interview of the erstwhile Raja Ramanatha Sethupathi, Kachatheevu was under the jurisdiction of the zamin “from time immemorial” and it was the “last post’ of the Ramnad Estate.
He added that the zamin had been collecting taxes till 1947 when it was taken over by the State government following the Zamindari Abolition Act. However, replying to the debate on the matter in Lok Sabha in July 1974, the then External Affairs Minister Swaran Singh asserted that the decision had been taken after “exhaustive research of historical and other records” on the islet.
How was the 1974 agreement received?
The present demand for the Katchatheevu retrieval traces its origin to the opposition that the pact generated in 1974.
During the debates in both Houses of Parliament in July 1974, most of the Opposition including the DMK, AIADMK, Jan Sangh, Swatantara and the Socialist Party, staged walk outs in the two Houses.
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was the Jan Sangh’s leader, had contended that the decision to transfer the islet had been taken “behind the back” of the people and Parliament.
He was supported by Madhu Limaye, veteran Socialist leader. The then Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi, even in 1973 when the talk of the islet transfer had been doing rounds, had urged Indira Gandhi that the popular feeling was in favour of retaining Katchatheevu which “belonged to India and not to Tamil Nadu alone,” according to a report published by The Hindu on October 17, 1973.
Three months later, he wrote a letter reiterating the stand, a copy of which was released a day after the 1974 agreement was signed.
When did the issue get a fresh lease of life?
After remaining low nearly for over 15 years, the Katchatheevu issue got revived in August 1991 with the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa demanding retrieval during her Independence Day address.
She later modified her demand to one of getting back the islet through “a lease in perpetuity.”
The Tamil Nadu Assembly had witnessed a number of debates on the matter.
In the last 15 years, both Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi had approached the Supreme Court on the matter.
What has been the stand of the Union government on the issue?
In August 2013, the Union government told the Supreme Court that the question of retrieval of Kachchatheevu from Sri Lanka did not arise as no territory belonging to India was ceded to Sri Lanka.
It contended that the islet was a matter of dispute between British India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and there was no agreed boundary, a matter of which was settled through 1974 and 1976 agreements.
In December 2022, the Union government, while referring to the two agreements, pointed out in its reply in the Rajya Sabha that Katchatheevu “lies on the Sri Lankan side of the India-Sri Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line.”
It added that the matter was sub-judice in the Supreme Court.
Share via
COPY
The Civil Services Exam is conducted every year by the UPSC to select suitable candidates for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), IFS (Indian Foreign Service), IPS (Indian Police Service), IRS (Indian Revenue Service) and other Central Services like the Audits and Accounts, Railway Technical Services etc.
These services are vital for the administration of the Nation as they form the underlying basis of the policy formulation, implementation and execution in almost all the domains of the Governance. Sardar Patel had called the Civil Service the “Steel Frame of India“, the backbone of India’s Administration.
Being part of the Services is associated with prestige, power and a sense of responsibility toward the Society and the Nation. No doubt, the Services attract the best among the vast talent pool of the country.
And it is no surprise that the competition for the CSE is becoming fiercer every year. Over the last 3-4 years the number of applicants has hovered around 1,000,000 out of which approximately 500,000 appear for the Preliminary Exam. On an average 10,000 candidates qualify for the Mains Examination and less than 2,500 are called for the interview. Finally, only about 1,000 or fewer candidates qualify to be part of the Services. Thus the conversion ratio from appearing in the Preliminary Examination to the final selection in the Services is less than 0.2% (considering only the
Thus only sincere hard work may not be enough to be part of the Services. The aspirants need suitable guidance and study material to get selected and fulfil their dream of serving the Nation. Unacademy strives to provide quality content to the learners in order to supplement the guidance they receive from top Educators on the Unacademy Platform and aid their preparation.
Profile
Settings
Refer your friends
Sign out
