DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS
1 – Train Accident Prevention in India: GS II – Government Policies and Interventions
Context:
- The safety measures required to prevent such disasters have come into sharp focus as a result of the terrible Odisha railway accident that claimed the lives of over 288 persons.
Why do train collisions occur in India?
- Measures to prevent derailments and collisions were well defined and put into practise, according to the Performance Audit on Derailment in Indian Railways – a CAG (2022) study.
Results of the CAG audit:
India’s train accidents are primarily caused by:
- For instance, out of 217 “consequential train accidents” that resulted in serious consequences, such as loss of life or injury, loss of railroad property, or disruption of traffic, 163 (or 75%) were caused by derailments from 2017–18 to 2020–21.
- Track maintenance, deviation of track parameters above permitted limits, reckless driving and excessive speeds, and poor signalling systems (suspected cause of the Odisha train tragedy) are all factors that contribute to derailments.
The Indian government has taken the following steps to prevent train accidents:
KAVACH:
- The Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), along with the Indian industry, created the Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system on its own.
- By stopping trains from passing the signal at Red and immediately activating the train’s braking system (if the driver jumps the Red signal), it offers protection by preventing collisions.
- To communicate any emergency message, the station master and loco-pilot use the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS).
- The Yeshwanthpur-Howrah Express and the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express were both devoid of KAVACH-TCAS.
RRSK, or Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh:
- It was established in 2017–18 with a corpus of Rs 1 lakh crore over a period of five years with an annual spend of Rs 20,000 crore (of which Rs 15,000 crore came from budgetary support and Rs 5,000 crore came from internal Railways resources), with a capital of Rs 1 lakh crore.
- The safety fund will be utilised for better rail maintenance, bridge restoration, train stock replacement, human resource development, and level crossing inspection and safety activities.
- Even this amount was not “fully utilised” since the amount of funding allotted for track renewal projects reduced from Rs 9,607.65 crore (2018-19) to Rs 7,417 crore (2019-20).
Way Forward:
In 2012, the Anil Kakodkar Committee on Railway Safety:
- the installation of an advanced signalling system throughout the entire trunk route within five years, comparable to the European Train Control System. a change from coaches with the ICF design to those with the significantly safer LHB design.
The 2015 report by the Bibek Debroy Committee on Mobilising Resources for Major Railway Projects:
- the establishment of a distinct safety department within Indian Railways, the creation of a thorough safety plan, the use of technology to increase safety, an improvement in track maintenance procedures, and an improvement in safety training programmes.
Derailments CAG Audit Report (2022):
- By implementing completely automated procedures and enhanced technologies for track maintenance, it will be possible to guarantee the timely implementation of repair activities.
- to develop guiding principles for allocating RRSK monies to each safety work item.
- to make sure that the deadlines for conducting and concluding accident investigations are strictly followed.
Source The Hindu
2 – Oil Reserves in Salt Caverns: GS II – Infrastructure related issues
Context:
- Engineers India (EIL), a government-owned engineering company, is researching the viability of creating strategic oil reserves in Rajasthan based on salt caverns.
- The government’s goal of expanding the nation’s strategic oil storage capacity is consistent with this.
- The three strategic oil storage facilities that are now in use by the nation are located in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Mangaluru, and Padur.
Concerning the strategic oil reserves:
- A country that maintains a stockpile of crude oil or petroleum products as a strategic precaution to ensure energy security and stability in the event of emergencies or disruptions in the oil supply is said to have a strategic oil reserve.
- The International Energy Agency (IEA) advises all nations to keep emergency oil reserves that are sufficient for 90 days of import protection.
Information about India’s oil reserves:
- India, the third-largest oil user in the world, imports more than 85% of what it needs.
- India’s SPR capacity is presently 5.33 million tonnes, or roughly 39 million barrels of crude. 9.5 days’ worth of oil is now covered by India’s strategic petroleum reserves (SPR).
- The storage facilities of oil marketing corporations in India also provide an additional 64.5 days of storage, for a total of about 74 days of petroleum demand coverage.
- The present locations of India’s strategic crude oil storage facilities are Chandikhol in Odisha, Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Mangaluru in Karnataka, and Padur in Karnataka.
- Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL), a fully owned subsidiary of the Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB) under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, is in charge of overseeing the building of the strategic crude oil storage facilities in India.
Subterranean storage:
- It is by far the most cost-effective method of storing petroleum products since the subterranean facility eliminates the need for large tracts of land, insures less evaporation, and make it simple to discharge crude into the caverns from ships because they are built much below sea level.
Source The Hindu
3 – Solar Panels: GS III – Environmental Conservation:
Context:
- Solar panels, recognised as an essential instrument for cutting carbon emissions, present a disposal and replacement difficulty because they only have a 25-year lifespan.
About Solar E-Waste:
- Electronic garbage produced by abandoned solar panels is referred to as solar e-waste. Since solar panels only last 20 to 25 years, disposing of them poses issues with managing the electronic garbage they produce.
What components make up a solar panel?
- The main components of a PV module are glass, metal, silicon, and polymer fractions. Together, glass and aluminium make up about 80% of the overall weight and are non-hazardous.
- However, a few additional materials, such as alloys, polymers, metals, and metallic compounds, are deemed potentially hazardous.
Status:
- Recycling of PV modules is still not profitable.
- Globally, the recycling of PV waste is still in its infancy. India does not have a strategy for the management of solar waste, but it does have lofty goals for solar power installation.
- According to estimates, India’s PV (photovoltaic) waste volume will increase to 200,000 tonnes by 2030 and close to 2 million tonnes by 2050.
Management of solar e-waste problems
Lack of thorough policy:
- Comprehensive legislation and regulations addressing the treatment of solar e-waste are lacking in many nations, including India.
Growing amount of solar waste:
- By 2030, India may produce over 34,600 tonnes of solar waste.
Insufficient recycling infrastructure:
- insufficient infrastructure and recycling facilities.
High recycling costs:
- Solar panels can be recycled for $20 to $30, compared to $1 to $2 for landfill disposal.
Toxic substances found in solar waste:
- When improperly handled, the poisonous metals and minerals found in solar panels can cause environmental damage.
Limited understanding and application:
- Lack of stakeholder awareness and insufficient enforcement of recycling laws.
Disposal in landfills:
- Improper landfill disposal of solar waste, endangering the ecosystem.
Waste of resources:
- Solar panels that have been discarded often include valuable materials including silver, copper, and quartz for semiconductors.
The following technologies can be used to recover valuable materials from solar e-waste:
Automatic Shredding:
- Metals like copper and aluminium can be recovered from solar panels by shredding them into tiny bits and using subsequent separation methods.
Thermal Therapy:
- Solar panels can be broken down at high temperatures using thermal processes like pyrolysis and gasification to recover precious materials and produce energy-dense gases or liquids.
Chemical evaporation:
- Valuable metals, such as silver and copper, can be dissolved and separated from the solar panel components using chemical solvents or acids.
Processes that use electrochemistry
- By using electrical currents or potential differences, electrochemical processes can be used to selectively remove metals from solar panel components.
Robotic systems that are automated:
- For effective material recovery, advanced robotic systems with sensors and artificial intelligence can be employed to recognise and separate the various solar panel components.
Recently enacted Government Initiative:
- Under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change added Solar Waste Treatment in November 2022.
Ecological Credit Programme:
- It was started under the Environmental Protection Act of 1986 and made public in the Budget for 2022–2023 with the intention of promoting sustainable practises and green growth.
Source The Hindu
4 – Lavender Festival: GS I – Indian Culture
Context:
- The Lavender Festival at Bhaderwah, Jammu, was officially opened by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh as part of the One Week One Lab Campaign run by CSIR-IIIM.
- The revolution involving lavender is in its second year. Bhaderwah is touted as India’s Lavender Capital and a prime location for Agri StartUps.
Aroma Mission and Lavender Revolution (also known as Purple Revolution):
About:
- The fragrant blooming plant known as lavender is prized for its calming fragrance and scented purple blossoms. It is commonly grown for its essential oil, which has a number of applications in aromatherapy, cosmetics, and food.
Lavender Revolution:
- Launched in 2016 by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) Aroma Mission, a division of the Union Ministry of Science & Technology.
Objective:
- to encourage entrepreneurship and support the native agro-economy based on fragrant crops.
Products:
- Hydrosol, lavender water, and lavender oil.
Significance:
- supports the government’s initiative to double farm earnings, provide employment, and encourages entrepreneurship.
Aroma Mission:
- CSIR project to assist farmers, encourage the growth of aromatic crops, and bring about transformational change in the fragrance industry.
Phase-I and phase II:
- Phase I taught approximately 44,000 people in 46 areas, while Phase II intends to employ over 45,000 skilled resources and assist farming households.
Nodal Agency:
- the Lucknow-based CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP).
Intended Results:
- Increasing the amount of land under cultivation, providing technical and infrastructure support, charging fair prices, and adding value to essential oils.
Source The Hindu
