 Good evening aspirants, welcome to the Hindu News Analysis by Shankarayesh Akademi for the date 11th of September 2022. Displayed here are the list of news articles we will be discussing today. Now let's start our discussion. Take a look at this article. This article talks about Neuromorphic Computing. The article also talks about the ongoing research for use of organic elements in designing neuromorphic computational systems. Talks about the research project taken up by the scientist in Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. It says that the scientists are trying to design neuromorphic system using organic materials. It is unheard of right? Note that this form of research hasn't been done anywhere else in the world till now. So this is a new and up and coming technology. According to the scientist, the advantages of using organic materials include improved cognition and decision making ability. This is because of the high interconnectedness of the organic systems. This is the corrects of the news article. So through this discussion, we will see about the term neuromorphic computing and also the advantages and disadvantages of using neuromorphic computing. Now let's start our discussion. First, let us take the term neuromorphic computing. What is it? It refers to the method of using computer engineering in which elements of the computer are modeled after human brain and the human nervous system. So basically, in neuromorphic computer, the hardware and the software are designed to mimic the functioning of human brain and the human nervous system. This is the basic about neuromorphic computers or neuromorphic computing. Now let's come to the advantage. The first advantage is the capacity. See, our human brain which weighs only 1.3 kilograms can store data up to 2.5 petabytes, that is 2.5 million gigabytes. But in case of the modern computers, even after so much development, the modern hardware that can store just 1 terabyte of data weighs up to 300 grams. So compared to the memory capacity to weight ratio, the human brain or the organic systems have a huge advantage. The next advantage is the neuromorphic computers take less physical space. See, this also can be easily understood by comparing a brain and a computer. Our brain just fits into our cranial system. But the computer is huge, right? So when we start using computers designed using organic systems, the size will be very compact. Then there is the speed of computing. The computers designed using this technology will have a higher advantage in its computing capacity. This is because of their interconnected nature. Then there is energy consumption. The energy consumption of neuromorphic computers are very low. See, brain needs far less energy than most supercomputers. Our brain uses only about 20 watts, whereas the Fugako supercomputer needs 28 megawatts to function. Here Fugako supercomputer is the world's second fastest supercomputer. So to put it in other way, our brain needs only 0.00007 percentage of the Fugako's power supply. The last major advantage is computers designed using neuromorphic system will require very less cooling system. See, supercomputers, as it exists today, needs a elaborate cooling system. Most of the power consumption in a supercomputer is used in the cooling system. But our brain is very small and it sits on our cranial system. Without any elaborate cooling system itself, our brain keeps its heat at the moderate level of 37 degrees Celsius. So all these are the advantages of using neuromorphic computers. Let me repeat the advantages again. It has higher storage capacity. It requires less physical space. The next advantage is the speedier computing capacity. Then there is the low energy consumption. And finally, there is no need for elaborate cooling system. These are the advantages of neuromorphic computing. But this also has some disadvantages. Let us see the disadvantages. First is the fragility. All the organic systems by nature are very fragile. Compare our brain in a computer, which is very fragile, our brain. So this is the first major disadvantage of neuromorphic computing. The next advantage is the unstableness. See, our brain or all organic matters, for instance, are made up of chemical components. These chemical components are highly unstable. They require perfect conditions to remain in a stable state. This is unlike the solid computers that we use today. So this is the second disadvantage of neuromorphic computing. See, scientists are of the view that if these two problems can be addressed, organic materials can outperform any other material in computing technology. So that's all regarding this discussion. See, in this discussion, we saw about the term neuromorphic computing. We saw about its advantages and its disadvantages. So with this, let us conclude this discussion and take up the next news article. Take a look at this article. This article talks about cloudburst. Why is cloudburst in use? Because cloudburst has recently caused floods, damage to property and loss of life in many parts of India. So this article focuses on cloudburst. It mainly focuses on our inability to correctly forecast cloudburst. This is the crux of the article given here. So in this context, we will cover cloudburst in a 360 degree angle. So in our discussion, we will focus on what is cloudburst, why cloudburst happens, the difference between cloudburst and thunderstorm, the areas that are prone to cloudburst in India, the difficulties in cloudburst forecasting, the consequences of cloudburst and finally, the possible solutions to adapt to cloudburst. So this is the plan for this discussion today. See, this discussion is important because cloudburst can be asked in the problems as well as in the main examination. In the main examination, it can be asked in GS paper one and it can be also asked in GS paper three as a part of disaster management. So the topic we are going to discuss today has multiple uses. So listen carefully. Now let's start our discussion. First, let us take the definition of cloudburst. See, the cloudburst has the word cloud and burst in it. So you must not associate the word with cloud exploding because it is a misnomer. Actually, cloudburst is defined as an extreme amount of precipitation in a short period of time within a small geographical area. According to Indian Meteorological Department, an unexpected precipitation exceeding 100 mm or 10 cm per hour over a geographical area of approximately 20 to 30 km2 is labeled as cloudburst. So this is the basic definition of cloudburst. Simply put, when large amount of precipitation, that is over 10 cm, happens in a area of 20 to 30 km2, it can be called as cloudburst. How does this happen? See, cloudburst happens when saturated clouds are unable to produce cloud because of the upward movement of warm air. Instead of dropping down, the rain drops get bigger in size and they get pushed up due to the raising parcels of warm air. Then the cloud becomes too heavy to hold the moisture and they drop down the rain suddenly. This is how normally cloudburst happens. See, this phenomenon that we discussed, right? This is how cloudburst happens in the plains. In the mountainous region, the cloudburst happens due to the phenomenon called orographic lift. Here, orographic lift is the upward movement of the clouds after the cloud has struck the mountain. The upliftment of the cloud due to the orographic lift results in the formation of cumulonimbus clouds and these clouds precipitate suddenly and causes cloudburst. So this is how cloudburst happens in plains and orographic region. Having seen the definition of cloudburst and the reasons for cloudburst, now let us see the difference between cloudburst and thunderstorm. See, what is a thunderstorm? Thunderstorm is a violent short-lived weather disturbance that is almost always associated with lightning, thunder, dense clouds, heavy rain or hail and strong winds. See, this is similar to cloudburst, right? Like we saw, cloudburst is also an extreme event that is associated with large amount of precipitation over a short period of time within a small geographical area. Here, the major difference between cloudburst and thunderstorm is unlike thunderstorm, the cloudburst is not always associated with lightning, thunder, hail or strong winds. So this is the only difference between cloudburst and thunderstorm. Thunderstorms are always associated with lightning, thunder, hail and strong winds, but cloudburst are not always associated with these events, okay? This is the difference between cloudburst and thunderstorm. Now let us see the areas in India that are prone to cloudburst. See, in India, the Himalayas and the north-eastern hills are most prone to cloudburst. This is because, as we saw in these areas, orographic lift normally happens and due to orographic lift, cloudburst happens. See this map here. This map shows the occurrence of cloudburst between the month of April and September in 2022. If you notice here, most of the cloudburst happened in the Himalayan states and the north-eastern region. See, cloudburst in India is not just limited to Himalayas and the north-eastern region. It also occurs in the western gods also. In western gods, the cloudburst happens mainly during the monsoon season. See, during the monsoon season, moisture, lightning, winds from the Arabian sea approach the western gods. Once they reach the western gods, they are orographically lifted. Once this happens, cloudburst happens. This is why, during monsoon, you can hear news about flooding in Kerala and Karnataka. So, these are the areas in India which are frequented by cloudburst. Now, let us see why cloudburst is difficult to forecast. First is lower-resolution satellites. See, in India, weather events, mainly monsoon, are forecasted using satellite images. These satellite images have lower resolution, but like we saw, the cloudbursts are very local events. They occur within a area of 20 to 30 kilometers only. Since they are very local and very small, the lower-resolution cameras that are used by our weather agencies are not able to capture the events. The next thing is they happen within a few hours. So, this also makes capturing of the images of the cloudburst very difficult. So, due to this, forecasting of cloudburst also becomes very difficult. The next thing is uncertainties. See, like we saw, cloudburst in India mainly happens in Himalayas, northeastern hills and the western gods. These areas are rugged region. Here, when the moisture laden winds hits the hill and started undergoing orographic lift, the weather becomes highly uncertain. This uncertainty happens within a very small time frame. This uncertainty that happens in that small time frame makes the forecasting of cloudburst very difficult. This is the second difficulty in forecasting cloudburst. The last is economics. See, Doppler radars are used to calculate the velocity of the moving clouds. Here, Doppler radar is a kind of radar that uses microwaves and the Doppler effect to calculate the speed of the incoming cloud. See, this radar is very costly. To correctly forecast the cloudburst event, large amount of Doppler radars must be placed all around India. This will take a huge amount of investment. Since this is very difficult and very expensive, the forecasting of cloudburst also becomes expensive. So, these are the three main reasons that makes forecasting of cloudburst difficult in India. Having seen this, now let us see the consequences of cloudburst. See, like we already saw, cloudburst happens mainly in the rugged terrain regions of India like Himalayas, Northeastern Hills and the Western Guards. In these areas, the slopes are very steep. Due to this, when rainfall happens, rapid flow of water occurs. This causes lot of destruction of property, lot of destruction of human life and also, since the top layer of the soil is eroded, it also causes destruction to the cultivable lands and crops. The other consequences of cloudburst include, first is flash floods. See, flash flood is the most dangerous kind of flood. In most cases, during flooding, only intendation of the land takes place. But in case of flash floods, water starts moving at a very high speed, okay? And this happens when the high rainfall exceeds the ability of the groundwater to absorb water. So, once the ground level gets completely saturated with water, flash floods occurs. The next is the debris flow. Debris flow is also a kind of flash flood. But instead of just water flowing, the debris also flow with the water. The next is the mud flow. Mud flow is also a kind of flash flood, but instead of just water or debris, mud starts flowing with the water. This also happens due to saturation of the ground with water, okay? See, all these results in land caving. That is, flash flood, debris flow and mud flow results in transporting large amount of debris and mud from the top of the hill to the bottom of the hill. Due to this, land starts caving in. See, these are the major consequences of cloudburst. Having seen the consequences of cloudburst, now let us see the steps that can be taken to mitigate cloudburst. First is permanent deployment of national disaster response force. See, what we can do is we can create a map highlighting the cloudburst prone areas in our country. In these particular areas alone, the national disaster response force can be permanently stationed. So, when the cloudburst finally happens, the force can go and help the people who are suffering. The next thing is capacity building. See, in the cloudburst prone areas, people who are residing can be provided proper training. This training can help the people to adapt to the cloudburst events. Next is the proper use of technology. See, using Doppler radar all over the country is very expensive. But if we properly map the cloudburst prone areas in our country, it will be a very small area. In these areas alone, Doppler radar can be deployed. Once they are deployed, the radars can be used to forecast the cloudburst events. By forecasting the cloudburst events, the damage to the property and the people can be easily mitigated. The next thing is proper drainage system. See, one of the consequence we saw due to cloudburst is flash floods. Flash floods happen when the ground is saturated with water and the water starts flowing at high speed. Why does the ground start saturating with water? This is because there is no proper drainage system in the area. So in the cloudburst prone areas alone, if we develop proper drainage channels when the cloudburst events occurs, water can be easily evacuated. So when water starts flowing without any obstruction, disasters like flash floods won't happen. Next is avoiding illegal construction. In the cloudburst prone areas, illegal construction should be prevented and water bodies in these areas must be preserved. And finally, in the cloudburst prone areas, afforestation activities can be encouraged. Once afforestation activities are encouraged, the trees and the plants hold the top soil together. Once this happens, disasters like flash floods, mud flows and debris flows can be prevented. So these are the steps that can be taken to mitigate cloudburst. So that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, we saw what is cloudburst. Then we saw what causes cloudburst. Then we saw the difference between thunderstorm and cloudburst. After that, we saw the reasons why forecasting cloudburst is very difficult in India. Then we saw areas in India where cloudburst events are very frequent. Then we saw the consequences of cloudburst. And finally, we saw the steps that can be taken to adapt to cloudburst. I hope this discussion was helpful. So with this, let us conclude this discussion and take up the next news article. Now let us take up this news article. The article speaks about the India-Pacific Economic Framework, that is IPEF. This is news because in the recent ministry meet of IPEF, India stayed out of the joint declaration on the trade pillar, which is one of the four pillars of the IPEF. Now, in this context, we will learn about the India-Pacific Economic Framework, its four pillars, and India's stand on the pillars of the framework. First, let us see about the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. See, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, that is the IPEF, was launched by the US President Joe Biden in Tokyo on March 2022. The IPEF seeks to strengthen economic relations between all the participating nations by enhancing resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth, fair treatment, and competitive spirit in the Indo-Pacific region. It also aims to provide a US-led alternative to China's economic footprint in the region. IPEF has 14 member states and these member states represents 40% of the world GDP. The member states are Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, United States, and Vietnam. These are the basic facts about the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. Now, let us see about the four pillars of the framework. First is the trade pillar. Through this trade pillar, the IPEF plans to or aims to build a high standard inclusive and free and fair trade commitments. It also aims to develop new and creative approach to trade and technology policy. The second is the supply chain pillar. Through this, the IPEF aims to ensure a more resilient and well integrated supply chain. This can be achieved by incorporating transparency, diversity, security, and sustainability in the supply chain in the Indo-Pacific region. Also, it focuses on crisis response by expanding better cooperation. See, this supply chain pillar is important because the COVID pandemic showed us that the world's supply chain is excessively dependent on China. When supply from China was affected, the total global economy was affected. So, the IPEF aims to create a supply chain by excluding China. This will reduce China's influence on the world economy. The third is the clean energy decarbonization and infrastructure pillar. Through this, the IPEF plans to decarbonize the economies and build climate resilient infrastructure. See, earlier in our discussion, we saw about cloud burst, right? So, if we build better infrastructure, we can adapt our infrastructure to environmental impacts like cloud burst. Also, by decarbonizing the economy, climate change can be addressed and countries can also adhere to the Paris climate commitment. This will also help provide sustainable livelihood to the people and the workers. The fourth pillar is the tax and anti-corruption pillar. See, in this, the IPEF plans to create an anti-money laundering and anti-brapery regime to curb tax evasion and corruption in the Indo-Pacific region. By curbing tax evasion and corruption in the region, fair and transparent competition can be ensured in the region. This will help in the sustainable development of the countries involved in the IPEF. See, these are the four basic pillars of the IPEF. Now, let's see India stand on the four pillars of the framework. In the recent ministerial meeting of IPEF that happened in Los Angeles, India have joined in three out of the four pillars, which are related to supply chain, tax and anti-corruption and clean energy. See, India was comfortable with the outcome and text of these three pillars. So, India joined in these three pillars. But India did not join in the trade pillar because as we all know, India is a emerging economy. The text in the trade pillar relating to environment, labor, digital trade and public recruitment was not inclusive of India's concerns. Since India's concerns were not addressed in the trade pillar, India did not join. So, that's all regarding the news and the discussion. See, in this, we saw about IPEF, that is Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. We saw about its members and the four pillars of the framework. We also saw why India joined in three pillars and did not join in the trade pillar. So, that's all regarding this discussion. With this, let us conclude this discussion and take up the next news article. Take a look at this FAQ article. This article talks about the economic importance of Kushyara River for Bangladesh and the Rahimpura Canal. For people who want to know about the geography of the river Kushyara, we have extensively covered this aspect on our Hindu news analysis dated 8th September 2022. So, in this discussion, we will be focusing only on the economic importance of the Kushyara River for Bangladesh. See, if you have seen our 8th September 2022 news analysis, you must have known that Kushyara is a distributor of Barak. The river Barak separates into Kushyara and Surma. The river Barak is notorious because the river frequently shifts its path. Due to this, most of the water from river Barak flows into the Kushyara River and only some water flows into the Surma River. Due to this, in the monsoon season, Bangladesh is heavily flooded. But during the winter season or during the lean season, the water in the Kushyara River is very low. See, Bangladesh, mainly in the north-eastern part, cultivate the Bororace. Here Bororace means rice that is cultivated in the winter season. This rice requires water, right? So, the water for the Bororace cultivation is supplied by the Kushyara River. Since during the lean season, the water in the Kushyara River is very low, the cultivation of Bororace is affected. Also, Silhet is famous for its vegetables. This vegetable cultivation also depends on the water in the Kushyara River. So, basically less water in the Kushyara River during the winter season is the issue. Here is the importance of the Kushyara River Treaty. After the treaty is finalized, Bangladesh will receive its fair share of the Kushyara River during the winter season. This will help in the cultivation of Bororace and the vegetable cultivation in the Silhet region. The article says that through this treaty, Bangladesh will be able to withdraw 153 kusek of water from the Kushyara River out of the approximately 2500 kusek of water in the river during the winter season. Normally, it is reported that water will be no useful for the cultivation in around 10,000 hectares of land in the Bangladeshi side of the border. This will greatly help the Bangladeshi people. Here, what is kusek? Here, kusek is the unit of measurement of flow of water. Kusek means cubic feet per second. So, this is the economic importance of the treaty. See, this article also talks about the Rahimpur Canal. See, Rahimpur Canal is the river canal located in the eastern part of Bangladesh in Silhet. The water of the Kushyara River will be channeled through this canal. The canal was built to help the Bangladeshi farmers access the river Kushyara's water. India objected to the construction activity in the canal. This has resulted in the reduction of the utility of the river. Due to India's objection, the utility of both the river and the Rahimpur Canal during the winter season has gone down. This has affected the border race cultivation as well as the vegetable cultivation in Silhet. But now, as the Kushyara River sharing agreement is finalized, India has taken back its objection. This will help Bangladesh use the Kushyara River and the Rahimpur Canal effectively. So, through this agreement, India and Bangladesh will become closer. It will also reduce Chinese influence in Bangladesh. Like this, all the issues between India and Bangladesh should be smoothly ironed out. So, that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, we saw about the economic importance of the Kushyara River for Bangladesh. We also saw what is Boro rice cultivation. Finally, we saw the importance of Rahimpur Canal. That's all regarding this discussion. With this, let us conclude the news article discussion session and take up the practice problems questions. We have three practice problems questions today. Let's see them one by one. Let us take up the first question. It is a two-statement question. Two statements regarding neuromorphic computing is given. We have to find the correct statement. Let us take up the first statement. Neuromorphic computing refers to computational method which are modeled like human brain and nervous system. See, this statement is correct. We saw about this statement in our discussion itself. So, moving on to the second statement. At present, both neuromorphic computing and quantum computing does not need any cooling system unlike conventional computers. See, this statement is incorrect. Only neuromorphic computers do not need cooling system. But quantum computers at present use cooling system to keep their temperatures very low. So, statement two is incorrect. Since statement one is correct and statement two is incorrect, the correct answer here is option A only. Moving on to the second question. See here, three rivers are given. They are asking us to find the trans-boundary rivers between India and Bangladesh. Here, Thista and Barak are trans-boundary rivers present in between India and Bangladesh. But Kaladan is not a trans-boundary river. You have heard about the name Kaladan in the recent times due to the development of the Kaladan multimodal transit transport project. Kaladan is a trans-boundary river between India and Myanmar. So, the correct answer here is option C one and two only. Moving on to the last question. This is a quiz question for you. Interested aspirants? Find the answer for this question and post it in the comment section. The main question based on today's discussion is displayed here. Write the answers and post it in the comment section. That's all regarding today's discussion. If you like today's video, like, comment, and share it with your friends. For more updates regarding UPSC preparation, subscribe to Shankar A.S. Academy's YouTube channel. Thank you for listening.