DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS
1 – Operation Bluestar: GS III – Internal Security related issues
Context:
- 39 years of Operation Bluestar: the context.
Project Bluestar:
- Following the growth of the Khalistan movement in India, Operation Blue Star was born.
- An autonomous state for Sikhs was the goal of the political Sikh nationalist movement known as Khalistan.
BHINDRANWALE JARNAIL SINGH:
- Operation Blue Star was mostly motivated by Bhindranwale, the Damdami Taksal chief.
- Bhindranwale was a leader who had tremendous impact on Sikh youth.
- Bhindranwale and supporters of Khalistan seized control of the Akal Takht complex in Amritsar’s Golden Temple during Operation Blue Star.
- Bhindranwale was regarded as being in favour of the establishment of Khalistan.
- Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’s removal from the Golden Temple complex and the regaining of control over Harmandir Sahib were the particular goals of Operation Blue Star.
ACTIVITY SUNDOWN:
- The failed mission by the RAW agency to kidnap Bhindranwale was called Operation Sundown.
Operation Thunder Black:
- The second stage of Operation Blue Star was called Operation Black Thunder.
- The first phase of Operation Black Thunder began on April 30, 1986, and the second phase started on May 9, 1988.
- Sikh terrorists were expelled from the Golden Temple by National Security Guards (NSG) Black Cat commandos.
Two sections made up Operation Blue Star:
Mission Metal:
- It was restricted to the Golden Temple, but it also resulted in Operation Shop, which saw individuals from the outskirts of Punjab apprehended.
Project Woodrose:
- It was introduced over Punjab.
- The Indian Army conducted the operation with the aid of tanks, artillery, helicopters, and armoured vehicles.
The postulation:
- The military assault raised tensions among the Sikh communities around the world.
- On October 31, 1984, two of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s Sikh bodyguards killed her for approving Operation Blue Star.
Source The Hindu
2 – Kerala Optical Fiber Network: GS II – Government Policies and Interventions
Context:
- One of its flagship projects, the Kerala Fibre Optical Network (KFON), was formally launched by the Keralan government.
Key information:
- Kerala, the first state to recognise the right to the internet as a fundamental right, hopes to close the digital gap by providing high-speed broadband internet access to every home and government building through KFON.
- Additionally, it aims to boost e-governance and hasten Kerala’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.
About KFON:
- KFON will essentially serve as a provider of infrastructure.
- In Kerala, there is a 30,000 km optical fibre cable network with 375 Points-of-Presence.
- Cable operators and all other service providers will share the KFON infrastructure.
- Government offices’ cable work will be handled by KFON, but individual recipients must rely on commercial, regional internet service providers.
About fibre internet:
- A broadband connection called fiber-optic internet has a top speed of 940 Megabits per second (Mbps).
- Benefits: Minimal latency.
- Fiber-optic cable, which is used in the technique, has a data transmission speed of up to 70% the speed of light.
- Additionally, fiber-optic cables are less vulnerable to extreme weather than other older cable types, reducing disruptions.
- Additionally, it successfully withstands electrical interference.
What is the operation of fiber-optic internet?
- A sophisticated technology called fiber-optic internet enables the transfer of information using light rather than energy.
- Laser fibres
- Optical fibres are very small, measuring 125 microns or little more than a human hair in diameter.
- To make cables (as opposed to coaxial cables, which are made of copper), many of these fibres are bundled together.
- The optical fibres convey information in “binary” form, which is akin to the 0s and 1s used in electronics, using pulses of laser or LED light.
- What distinguishes fibre from other forms of internet?
- The primary distinction between fibre and other types of internet connections is that fibre doesn’t use electric current.
- The fibre glass core is used to deliver light, which is used.
Source The Hindu
3 – MV Express: GS II – Government Policies and Interventions
Context:
- From Chennai, India’s first international cruise ship departs for Sri Lanka.
Key information:
Three ports will be visited by the newly launched cruise:
- India’s Hambantota.
- India’s Trincomalee.
- Sri Lanka’s Kankesanturai.
- The Cordelia Empress is the name of the opulent cruise ship.
Source The Hindu
4 – Sustainability Report from NHAI: GS I – Population-related issues
Context:
- The first “Sustainability Report” from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) documents actions made to promote environmental sustainability.
Key conclusions:
Regarding the report:
- The inaugural ‘Sustainability Report for FY 2021-22’ from NHAI discusses the organization’s governance, stakeholders, environmental initiatives, and social responsibility programmes.
- According to SEBI standards, the NHAI Sustainability Report is not a necessity, but it has been accepted as a voluntary endeavour.
- The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) reporting standards were followed in its preparation.
- A third party complying to International Standards on Assurance Engagements has externally assured the report.
Emissions reduction:
- Due to decreasing fuel usage, direct emissions decreased by 18.44% and 9.49% from FY 2019–20 to FY 2021–22.
- By switching to clean and environmentally friendly energy sources, NHAI is continuing its efforts to reduce indirect emissions as well.
- Energy consumption, business activities, transportation, and travel emissions decreased by 9.7% in FY 2020–21 and 2% in FY 2021–22.
- Operations saw a reduction in energy intensity of 37% in FY 2020–21 and 27% in FY 2021–22.
- Electronic toll collection with FASTag has helped to lower carbon emissions with a penetration rate of over 97 percent.
Sustainable building:
- The number of kilometres built over the reporting period has increased steadily.
- NHAI has been building national highways with recyclable materials.
- Over the past three years, there has been an increase in the use of plastic trash and fly ash in construction.
- Recycled Asphalt (RAP) and Recycled Aggregates (RA) have been promoted by NHAI for use in the construction of National Highways.
Environmental projects:
- More than 100 Wildlife Crossings were built as a measure for wildlife protection and conservation to lessen man-animal conflict in order to guarantee sustainable environmental growth.
- In order to create environmentally friendly National Highways, NHAI has been organising plantation drives.
- The quantity of seedlings has significantly increased.
- To balance off the direct emissions from the vehicles, saplings were planted.
Workplace customs:
- The study also emphasises NHAI’s dedication to developing equitable and responsible workplace practises.
- Employment of women and members of marginalised communities has grown during the past three years at NHAI.
- With the help of a performance-based management system, NHAI has been effective in promoting and motivating minority and female employees.
Regarding NHAI:
- An independent department of the Indian government is the National Highways Authority of India.
- It was established in 1995.
- It is in charge of overseeing India’s network of national highways.
- It is a nodal department within the Ministry of Highways and Road Transport.
Source The Hindu
5 – Problems in Kasovo: GS II – International Relations
Context:
- The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) sent 700 more of its peacekeeping troops to Kosovo following one of the greatest escalations in tensions between Kosovo and Serbia in at least ten years.
The argument:
- Serbia and Kosovo are both located in the Balkans, an area of Europe that includes nations that were formerly a part of the Republic of Yugoslavia.
- About 100 countries, including the United States and some EU members, have recognised Kosovo, a former province of Serbia, as a country since its unilateral declaration of independence in 2008.
- But despite having no formal administrative authority over it, Serbia continues to view Kosovo as a part of itself and refuses to recognise its sovereignty.
- Currently, more than 50,000 members of the ethnic Serb minority, or around 5.3% of the population, live in several municipalities in the northern section of Kosovo that borders Serbia.
- The Kosovo Serbs get salaries and benefits from Serbia’s budget, do not acknowledge the institutions of the Kosovo state, and do not pay taxes to either Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, or Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.
- Kosovo cannot join the UN without Serbia’s consent because Serbia has diplomatic friends in Russia and China who would object to such a move.
- The Brussels Agreement, mediated by the EU, was signed between the two in 2013.
- Although the deal was not fully implemented on the ground, Serb election participation was made easier.
Source The Hindu
