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Monthly Archives: May 2025

Plastic Waste in Himalayas

Context

  • According to a report more than 84% of the plastic waste collected in Himalayan region is posing serious environmental and systemic challenges.

    • About

  • According to data gathered from the Himalayan Cleanup (THC) 2024, conducted across nine Himalayan states, over 1.2 lakh pieces of waste were audited—88% of which were plastic.
  • Within plastic waste, 84.2% was attributed to food and beverage packaging, and 71% of this was non-recyclable.
  • Sikkim and Darjeeling (West Bengal) emerged as the top contributors in terms of volume, followed by Ladakh, Nagaland, and Uttarakhand.

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    India Launches First Cluster of CCU Testbeds For Cement Industry

    In News

  • India launched its first cluster of Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds for the cement sector.

    • About Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU)

  • Definition: Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) refers to a set of technologies that involve capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from sources like power plants and industrial facilities and then converting them into useful products.
  • Process: The first step involves separating CO2 from other gases emitted by industrial processes or even directly from the atmosphere (Direct Air Capture – DAC). Various technologies like solvent absorption, membrane separation, and adsorption are used for this purpose.
  • Examples of CO2 Utilisation: Injecting CO2 into oil reservoirs to increase oil extraction, CO2 can be combined with hydrogen to create synthetic fuels like methanol, ethanol or captured CO2 can be used to produce concrete, cement alternatives, and other construction materials. 

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    Cabinet Approves Semiconductor Unit in Uttar Pradesh

    Context

  • The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of a Semiconductor Unit in Uttar Pradesh.

    • What is a Semiconductor?

  • Job Creation: Semiconductor manufacturing facilities in India create many direct and indirect employment opportunities.
  • Reduced Dependence on Imports: Establishing  more domestic semiconductor industries will enhance the country’s self-reliance and resilience in times of geopolitical tensions or disruptions in global supply chains.
  • Import Dependency: India imported ₹1.71 lakh crore worth of semiconductors in 2024. Nearly 38% came from China.
  • Export Opportunities: India’s semiconductor market is projected to grow from $22 billion (2019) to $110 billion by 2030.

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    Breakthrough in Making 2D Metals

    Context

  • A team of Chinese scientists reported a new method to create true 2D sheets of metals like bismuth, gallium, indium, tin, and lead.

    • Challenges in Making 2D Metals

  • Unlike carbon, which easily forms 2D sheets (graphene), metal atoms prefer bonding in 3D.
  • Attempts to make atom-thin metal sheets have largely failed or produced sheets only a few nanometers thick — too thick for true quantum confinement.

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    India & 6G Technology

    Context

  • Recently, the Union Minister of State for Communications, at the Bharat 6G International Conference, said that India has emerged as one of the top six nations globally in 6G patent filings.

    • Promise of 6G Technology

  • Sub-millisecond latency for ultra-fast connectivity.
  • Intelligent self-healing networks to enhance reliability.
  • Volumetric connectivity, extending from underwater to aerospace applications.
  • AI-native networks to enhance automation and efficiency.

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    Colombia Joins Belt and Road Initiative

    In News

  • Colombia formally agreed to join China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.

    • China’s Economic Influence & US Concerns

  • China is now the largest trading partner of several Latin American countries (Brazil, Chile, Peru).
  • China is expanding its footprint through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), while the U.S. views Chinese presence near strategic locations like the Panama Canal as a national security threat.
  • The U.S. accuses China of trapping countries in unsustainable debt for geopolitical leverage.

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    India’s Major Ports Achieve Historic Milestones in FY 2024-25

    Context

  • In FY 2024-25, Major Ports registered an impressive annual growth rate of 4.3% in cargo handling, increasing from 819 million tonnes in FY 2023-24 to ~855 million tonnes in FY 2024-25.

    • About

  • Average Turnaround Time (TRT) improved by 48%, reducing from 96 hours in FY 2014-15 to 49.5 hours in FY 2024-25.
  • Major Ports’ financial performance has been equally impressive, with total income more than doubling over the past decade, registering a 7.5% CAGR over 10 years. 
  • Operational efficiency also improved significantly, with the operating ratio declining from 64.7% in FY 2014-15 to 42.3% in FY 2024-25.
  • Private sector participation has been instrumental in this transformation, with investments in PPP projects at Major Ports increasing threefold.

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    B.R. Gavai Sworn in as Chief Justice of India

    Context

  • Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was sworn in by President Droupadi Murmu as the 52nd Chief Justice of India.

    • What is the Convention?

  • The outgoing CJI recommends his successor a practice, which is strictly based on seniority.
  • Seniority, however, is not defined by age, but by the number of years a judge has been serving in the top court of the country.

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    Birth Rates in Delhi, Kerala, and T.N. Declining at Twice the Rate of National Average

    Context

  • The annual crude birth rates for Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Kerala are declining at twice the rate of the national average.

    • About

  • The data from the Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report 2021, was released by the Registrar General of India.  
  • The SRS is the largest demographic survey in the country, meant to provide annual estimates on fertility and mortality indicators such as birth rates, death rates, etc. 
  • The crude birth rate (CBR) is a demographic measure that indicates the number of live births per 1,000 people in a population during a specific time period, usually a year.

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