Most Important CA for UPSC Prelims 2021 April-July Set-8

Table of Contents

LIDAR SURVEY REPORTS

Why in News?

Recently, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change released LiDAR (light detection and ranging) based reports mapping out the water requirement within forest areas in 10 states.

More on News

Project, which was awarded to WAPCOS, a public sector unit under the Ministry of Jal Shakti ministry, is a first of its kind and a unique experiment using LiDAR technology.
Surveys were carried out at forest areas in Assam, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Goa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, and Tripura.

WAPCOS followed the Ridge to Valley approach of watershed management for this survey.
WAPCOS and State Forest Departments identified one major ridge inside a forest block in these states with average area of 10,000 ha selected in each State.
LiDAR technology was used to create 3- D images of the project areas to recommend soil and water conservation structures.
State forest departments will use Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) funds towards implementation of these projects.
- CAMPA are meant to promote afforestation and regeneration activities as a way of compensating for forest land diverted to non-forest uses.
The survey would help in:
- identifying areas which need groundwater recharge
- reducing human-animal conflict by reducing water scarcity

About LiDAR technology

LiDAR is a remote sensing technology that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure ranges (distances) to a target.
- These light pulses—combined with other data recorded by the airborne system— generate precise, three-dimensional information about the shape of the Earth and its surface characteristics.
- It is similar to radar and sonar (that use radio and sound waves, respectively).
A lidar instrument principally consists of a laser, a scanner, and a specialized GPS receiver.
- Airplanes and helicopters are the most commonly used platforms for acquiring lidar data over broad areas.
Two types of lidar are topographic and bathymetric.
- Topographic lidar typically uses a near-infrared laser to map the land.
- Bathymetric lidar uses water-penetrating green light to also measure seafloor and riverbed elevations.

Lidar systems allow scientists and mapping professionals to examine both natural and manmade environments with accuracy, precision, and flexibility.
Applications: Land management and planning efforts, including hazard assessment, forestry, agriculture, geologic mapping, and watershed and river surveys etc.

GENOME EDITING

Why in News?

Recently, Department of Biotechnology supported First Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy was conducted.

About Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy

It is a way to get immune cells called T cells (a type of white blood cell) to fight cancer by editing them in the lab so they can find and destroy cancer cells.
T cells are taken from the patient’s blood and are changed in the lab by adding a gene for a manmade receptor (called CAR).
This helps them better identify specific cancer cell antigens.
The CAR T cells are then given back to the patient.
• It is also sometimes talked about as a type of cell-based gene editing, because it involves altering the genes inside T cells to help them attack the cancer.
• In order to promote and support development of CAR-T cell technology, BIRAC and DBT have taken initiatives in the last 2 years.

What is gene editing?

Genome (or gene) editing is a way of making specific changes to the DNA of a cell or organism.
This allows genetic material to be added, removed, or altered at particular locations in the genome.
It is a three-stage complex mechanism of unwinding, cleaving and rewinding of DNA to bring desirable changes in the genome of any living beings.
Cleaving of the DNA includes editing of genes (cut paste of the DNA).
By editing the genome, the characteristics of a cell or an organism can be changed.

How does it work?

Genome editing uses a type of enzyme called an ‘engineered nuclease’ which cuts the genome in a specific place.
- Engineered nucleases are made up of two parts: A nuclease part that cuts the DNA and A DNA-targeting part that is designed to guide the nuclease to a specific sequence of DNA.
After cutting the DNA in a specific place, the cell will naturally repair the cut.
This repair process can be manipulated to make changes (or ‘edits’) to the DNA in that location in the genome.

Techniques used for Genome editing

They mainly differ in how they recognise the DNA to cut.
- Protein based: contain a protein that recognises and binds to the target DNA to be cut.
- RNA based: contain a short sequence of RNA that binds to the target DNA to be cut.

CULTURE

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE STATUS

Why in News?

Recently, various organisations initiated a campaign demanding official language status to Tulu in Karnataka and Kerala and include it in the eighth schedule of the Constitution.

What is an Official Language status?

Part XVII of the Indian Constitution deals with the official language in Articles 343 to 351.
Article 345 of the Constitution says that the Legislature of a State may by law adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the State or Hindi as the language or languages to be used for all or any of the official purposes of that State.
For example, Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963, provide for the adoption of Kannada as the languages to be used for the official purposes of the State of Karnatka.
It is provided that, until the Legislature of the State otherwise provides by law, the English language shall continue to be used for those official purposes within the State for which it was being used immediately before the commencement of this Constitution.

Eighth Schedule of the constitution

The Constitutional provisions relating to the Eighth Schedule occur in article 344(1) and 351 of the Constitution.
The Eighth Schedule was intended to promote the progressive use of Hindi and for the enrichment and promotion of language.
Eighth Schedule recognises that India is a multilingual country.
- However, it excludes large number of languages on non-linguistic grounds like absence of script, written literature and print media.
The Constitution does not mention any qualifying criterion for a language to be included in the Eighth Schedule.
- When the National Commission for Linguistic Minorities (NCLM) recommends the inclusion of any language, the Union government includes it through an amendment to the Constitution.
  - ✓ NCLM is responsible to investigate all matters relating to safeguards provided for the linguistic minorities and report to the President.
Earlier in 2003, Sitakant Mohapatra Committee was set up to evolve a set of objective criteria for inclusion of more languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.
- Committee submitted its report in 2004 which is still under consideration.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES IN NEWS

JIYO PARSI SCHEME

Recently, during COVID19, Parsi community saw a record of 61 births assisted through the Jiyo Parsi Scheme.

To arrest the declining trend of Parsi population by adopting a scientific protocol and structured interventions.
- It is a Central Sector Scheme under Ministry of Minority Affairs launched in 2013.
The Scheme will be implemented by the Parzor Foundation with the help of the Bombay Parsi Panchayat (BPP) and through the organizations/ societies/ Anjumans and Panchayat of the community concerned in existence for not less than three years.
Target groups: The scheme is meant for only Parsi community.
- Parsi married couples of childbearing ages who seek assistance.
- Adults/young men/women/adolescent boys/girls for detection of diseases resulting with consent of parents/legal guardians.
The Scheme will have three components: