 Good evening aspirants, welcome to the Hindu News Analysis by Shankar A.S. Academy for the date 19th and 20th of November. Displayed here are the list of news articles that we will be going through today. Now let's start the discussion. Look at this news article. This article is taken from yesterday's newspaper. This news article reports about the degradation of inter-tited mudflats in Kadalundi. Kadalundi is a village located on the southwestern coast of Kohlikode district of Kerala. The mudflats in Kadalundi is a prominent destination for some of the migrant shorebirds that are coming from Siberia, Ladakh, Mongolia and Scotland. Apart from this, it is also famous for mangroves. In the early 2000s, Kadalundi had about 8 hectares of nutrition rich mudflats. But as of now, the expanse of the mudflats have reduced to just about 1 hectare. Some of the researchers said that the devastating floods of 2018 and 2019 had expedited the process of degradation of Kadalundi mudflats. This news article further says that the remaining 1 hectare of mudflats are not protected and restored. Kadalundi will vanish from the global map as a prominent destination for migrant shorebirds. This is about the news article given here. In this context in our discussion today, let us learn some important points about mudflats and its significance. First, let us start with mudflats. Mudflats are coastal wetlands located near water bodies like sea or ocean that are regularly flooded by tides or rivers. Mudflats are mostly formed in intertidal areas due to deposition of mud by tides. Due to this fact, mudflats are also referred as tidal flats. As most of the sedimentary areas of the mudflats fall within the intertidal zone, the mudflats experience submotion under water twice a day. The mudflats usually occur in the sheltered areas of the coast like bays, lagoons and estuaries. Note that mudflats often have very less vegetation. Some of the salt marsh plants like coad grasses, sea aster and sea lavender are capable of growing in mudflats. Mangrues are also capable of growing in mudflats. These are some basic information about mudflats. Now moving on, let us see the significance of these mudflats. Firstly, mudflats protect the inland landform from erosion. Mudflats acts as a barrier by obstructing the waves from the sea. This factor helps to protect the interior landforms from erosion. Secondly, mudflats attract a large number of migratory shorebirds. This is because the intertidal mudflats are housing a variety of species like crabs, fish and mollusks. These species form the foot base for the migratory birds. So, this factor attracts a large number of migratory shorebirds to the mudflats. Because of this reason, mudflats often serve as a significant bird-wathing spot. Thirdly, mudflats are also involved in water purification and carbon sequestration activities. This helps in containing pollution and global warming. And finally, mudflats are acting as an important nursery for certain fish species. So, mudflats are important in conserving fish species. These are some of the significance of mudflats. Now moving on, let us see some of the threats faced by mudflats. The first important threat is due to coastal developmental activities. In the name of developmental activities, the mudflats are often destroyed to create coastal infrastructure. Apart from this, the mudflats are also dredged for navigational purposes. These are the most important threats faced by mudflats. The second threat is due to pollution. Industrial and agricultural runoff and polluted stormwater drainage affect the soil quality of the mudflats. It even results in the growth of algal mats. This affects the biodiversity of the mudflats and results in the reduction of migratory shorebirds. And the final threat is due to sea level rise. Global warming triggered sea level rise is submerging significant sections of the mudflats all around the world. This has led to the loss of tidal flats. This in turn causes floods and erosion in the coastal areas. These are some of the important threats faced by mudflats. And that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, we saw what is mudflats. Then we saw the significance of mudflats and finally the threats faced by mudflats. Now with this, let us conclude this discussion and take up the next news article. Look at the science page article. This article is also taken from yesterday's newspaper. This article is speaking about chickenpox vaccination. Recently, a committee set up by the UK government had recommended to include chickenpox vaccination in routine childhood immunization program. This committee had recommended to offer chickenpox vaccine to all children at 12 and 18 months of age. This recommendation was provided based on the successful vaccine program of the United States. In 1996, the United States had introduced a country-wide immunization program to wipe out chickenpox. Since its introduction, the vaccine has prevented over 91 million chickenpox cases in the United States. It even reduced 238,000 hospitalizations and almost 2,000 deaths related to chickenpox in the United States. The study also found that vaccination against chickenpox have reduced the risk of shingles in the United States. Here, know that shingles is a viral infection that causes painful rash on the skin. It is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. So based on the successful containment of chickenpox in the United States, UK is working towards making chickenpox vaccination a part of its immunization program. Now, what is the case with India? In India, we have a universal immunization program. It was launched in 1985. A total of 12 vaccine-preventable diseases including polio, hepatitis B, meningitis and so on are covered under this program. But note that chickenpox is not included in the universal immunization program of India. This is because the disease burden of chickenpox and hospitalization caused in India are not known. As a result, the cost-benefit analysis of chickenpox vaccination has not been done yet. So this hinders the immunization activities against chickenpox in India. These are all some of the important points mentioned in this news article. Moving forward in our discussion, let us understand some important points about the chickenpox disease. Chickenpox is a highly contagious viral disease. Chickenpox is caused by varicella zoster virus. Now, what are the symptoms of the disease? Chickenpox can cause itchy rashes in the skins of humans. The rash first appears on the chest, back and face. After that, it spreads over the entire body including inside the mouth, eyelids and even in the general area. The other typical symptoms may begin to appear one or two days before the occurrence of rash. These symptoms include fever, tiredness, loss of appetite and headache. These are some of the important symptoms associated with chickenpox. Moving forward, let us see its mode of transmission. The chickenpox virus spreads easily from one person to another. The virus spreads mainly through close contact with someone who has chickenpox. Studies show that if one person has chickenpox, up to 90% of the unvaccinated people close to that person will become infected with chickenpox. This is why chickenpox is termed as a highly contagious disease. Chickenpox is not a serious concern to a healthy person. But it can cause serious complications in pregnant women, babies and people with weakened immune system. Now finally, let us see the prevention and treatment option available for chickenpox. Vaccination against chickenpox is the best way to prevent chickenpox. Chickenpox vaccine is very safe and effective at preventing the disease. Most people who get the vaccine will not get chickenpox. Two doses of chickenpox in children, adolescents and adults will effectively prevent chickenpox in such persons. Now coming to the treatment options. Taking several medications in the home itself can help to relieve the chickenpox symptoms and prevent the skin infection. Using lotion, taking cool bath with added baking soda and eating uncooked oatmeal can help to relieve the symptoms of itching. Apart from this, using painkillers and antiviral medication can help to relieve the symptoms of headache and fever associated with the chickenpox. See, these medications have to be followed only by a stable and healthy person. But vulnerable ones like pregnant women, babies and elderly people should be taken to the hospital to avoid serious complications associated with chickenpox. And that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, first we saw some important facts about the chickenpox vaccination as provided in the article. Then we saw about the symptoms, mode of transmission and the treatment available for chickenpox disease. That's all regarding this discussion. Now let us conclude this and take up the next news article. Look at this article. This article talks about road accidents in India. According to the World Health Organization, nearly 3 lakh people are estimated to be killed on road accidents in India each year. It is equivalent to more than 34 people every hour of every day. The figure is even higher when it comes to the number of people who have suffered life-altering injuries in car accidents. So, all we need is an immediate coordinate and evidence-based intervention to boost road safety. This is about the article given here. In this context, let us quickly go through the reasons for the number of road accidents and fatalities in India and the steps that can be taken to address these matters using a main question. Let me read out the question for you. According to the United Nations World Health Organization, a staggering 3 lakh people are estimated to be killed on roads in India. In this regard, briefly explain the reason for the high number of road accidents and fatalities in India. Also, enumerate the steps that can be taken to tackle the issue. See, this question can be asked in GS Paper 3 and that is syllabus, infrastructure, energy, port, roads, airport, railways, etc. Now, let us see how to approach this question. It is a very straightforward question. So, in the introduction part, you can highlight some of the data regarding road accidents in India. According to the annual report Road Accidents in India 2022, which is released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, a total of 4,61,312 road accidents have been reported in the states and the United States during the year 2022. Among them, the report stated that 1,68,000 people have lost their lives and 4,43,000 people were injured. This marks an increase of 11.9% in accidents, 9.4% in fatalities and 15.3% in injuries compared to the previous year. So, it is a high time that we have to understand the reasons for road accidents and develop more efficient and safety system to address road accidents. This can be your introduction. Now, moving on to the main body of the answer, here you can split the body of the answer into two parts. In the first part, you can write about the reason for the high number of road accidents and fatalities in India. And in the second part, you have to enumerate the steps that can be taken to tackle this issue. Let us start with the reasons for high number of road accidents and fatalities in India. The first reason for such a high number of accidents is war-speeding. War-speeding accounted for 72.3% of the total road accidents, 71.2% of total deaths and 72.8% of total injuries. Some of the other reasons might include use of mobile phones, jumping red lights, driving on the wrong lane or not following lane discipline. But still, war-speeding is the leading cause of increasing road accidents. This is the first reason. The second reason is infrastructural deficits. See, pathetic conditions of roads and vehicles, poor visibility and poor road design and engineering could be a reason for high number of road accidents and fatalities in India. But as per data, 67% of all accidents occurred on a straight road. This is over 4 times the total number of accidents that took place over curved roads, roads with potholes and roads having a steep gradient. This is the second reason, that is infrastructure deficit. The third reason is the lack of proper vehicle fitness. Nearly 21% of collisions in 2022 were classified as hit from back followed by head-on collision. This accounted for 16% of the total accidents. So, lack of proper vehicle fitness might be a reason for increasing accidents in India. The fourth reason is the implementation drawbacks. See, police are supposed to execute the rules, but due to lack of workforce, they fail to execute the rules. For example, according to section 129a, all riders above the age of 4 should use protective gear when riding a motorcycle. This includes both the rider and the pillion rider. But this rule is implemented very rarely. Also, lack of proper compliance by the people is also an issue. People driving four-wheelers do not wear seat belts leading to high instance of fatalities in road accidents. Apart from this, overloading a vehicle to save on cost of transportation is also a reason for increasing number of road accidents. These are the some of the points you can write for your first part of the answer. Now moving on to the second part, here you have to enumerate the steps that can be taken to tackle this issue. Firstly, to monitor over-speeding, speed detection devices like radar and speed detection camera system can be introduced. For example, digital skill cameras have been implemented in Chandigarh. Then, speed cameras and radar guns have been introduced in New Delhi. Here, radar gun is a handheld device used by traffic police to estimate the speed of the passing vehicle. As you can see in this image, both has reported meager amount of road accidents. Secondly, improved safety features like speed bumps, raised platform, rounder boards and optical markings can be introduced to reduce the road accidents to a great extent. Thirdly, the each alarm has been implemented to decrease corruption in the traffic infringement fines. Fourthly, vehicle safety features like electronic stability control, effective car crash standards and advanced braking has been made mandatory For example, recently the Ministry of Rural Transport and Highways introduced the Bharat NCP, that is new car assessment program to give 5 stars to vehicle indicating their safety in a crash. Finally, to reduce the fatalities in road accidents, the Motor Vehicle Act provides for a scheme for cashless treatment of road accident victims during the Golden Hover. Here, Golden Hover is nothing but the 1 hour time period lasting following a traumatic injury. This duration is called Golden Hover because there is the highest likelihood of preventing death by providing medical care during this period. This is the second part of the answer. In this, we have highlighted the steps that can be taken to reduce road accidents. Now coming to the conclusion part, let me share with you a model conclusion. India loses nearly 5% to 9% of national GDP due to road accidents, most of which can be prevented. So, we need strategic investment in road safety measures and a comprehensive road safety process to achieve sustainable development goal, which is 3.6. And that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, we covered various aspects of road safety in India. Now with this, let us conclude this discussion and take up the next news article. Take a look at this news article from yesterday's newspaper. It talks about the China-Pakistan Economic Coit Door. Now, suddenly it is in news because Pakistan's Prime Minister recently visited China to renew talks on the China-Pakistan Economic Coit Door. This is because this project was stalled due to disagreements over the Gwadar Port in Balochistan. The article here highlights the reason why the China-Pakistan Economic Coit Door got stalled. This is about the article. In our discussion today, we will see the important points highlighted in the article in detail. First, let us start with the basics. What is China-Pakistan Economic Coit Door? The CPEC is a 3000 km long route of infrastructure projects connecting China and the Gwadar Port of Pakistan. It is a bilateral project between Pakistan and China. It intended to promote connectivity across Pakistan with a network of highways, railways and pipelines which is accompanied by energy, industry and other infrastructure development projects. The project will pave the way for China to access Middle East and Africa from the Gwadar Port through the Indian Ocean. In return, China will support the development projects in Pakistan to overcome Pakistan's energy crisis and the failing Pakistan's economy. Remember, CPEC is also part of the Belt and Road Initiative. But the project currently has stalled due to various troubles that started since 2016. Such troubles include confusion in funding, confusion in contractor selection and then bidding delays and finally disagreement over tax exemption. Apart from this, the Balochistan locals strongly protested the Gwadar Port city fearing loss of livelihood. They also resisted the use of Chinese laborers in the project. Their anti-China sentiment peaked when the locals came to know that China profited 91% from the leasing of the Gwadar Port to China Overseas Port Holding Company. In order to pursue the project, the Pakistani government has grabbed lands from the locals and forced them to resettle elsewhere. This had led to a race and insurgency in Balochistan. These militant groups have carried out several attacks on Pakistani army officials who were providing protection to the Chinese workers. The issue got worse when China stopped funding three road projects due to corruption allegations. China has also insisted to make Yon which is the local currency of China as a legal tender in the Gwadar Port region. In retaliation, Pakistan's National Assembly ordered the inquiry into China Overseas Port Holding Company. The project has almost got stalled. In 2022, China refused to further expand cooperation with Pakistan in areas of energy, water management and climate change under the CPEC. These are the issues surrounding the implementation of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. And these are some of the points that are mentioned in the article. Now with this, let us conclude this discussion and take up the next news article. Look at this editorial article. This editorial article is about the activities of Tamil Nadu governor R. N. Ravi. This article is written in the backdrop of a petition in the Supreme Court. Recently, the Tamil Nadu government filed a petition against the Tamil Nadu governor in the Supreme Court. The Tamil Nadu government is accusing that the governor is delaying in giving assent to the bill passed by the Tamil Nadu State Legislative Assembly. The Supreme Court is currently hearing the petition and it is yet to pronounce the order. In the slide, the author of this editorial points out that the governor's act of withholding assent to the bill is kind of a constitutional oppression. And it also undermines parliamentary democracy. So, the author says that the Supreme Court must examine the constitutional powers of the governor before pronouncing the judgment in this case. This is about the major points mentioned in the article. Now in our discussion today, let us revise about the important constitutional discretionary powers that are available to the governor. See, the Constitution of India has granted some authority to the governor to act on his own discretion. While acting at his discretion, the governor is not bound to act based on the recommendation of the council of ministers of the state. Now we will see the constitutional discretionary powers one by one. First, let us take up article 200. As per article 200, the governor in some cases can reserve a state bill for the consideration of the president. This happens when the governor is of the opinion that any particular bill is derogating the powers of the High Court or it endangers the constitutional position of the High Court. See, for this action, the governor is not bound to act on the recommendation of the council of ministers in the state. It is the discretionary power of the governor to decide upon deserving bill for the consideration of the president. Second, let us take up article 356. This article deals with the governor's role in recommending the president's rule. Article 356 imposes the president to impose president's rule in a particular state. The president can impose his rule in two situations. Firstly, if the president is satisfied that the government of the state is not functioning in accordance with the provisions of this constitution, then the president may impose the president's rule. Secondly, if the president receives a report from the governor of the state to impose president's rule, then he must evaluate the situation and may proclaim president's rule. In this case, the governor's report to impose president's rule is totally the governor's discretion. This means that there is no necessary condition to the governor in order to give a report for the president's rule. This is the second condition where the governor can act on his discretion. And finally, let us take article 167. As per article 167, the governor can ask the chief minister of the state to furnish any information relating to the administration of the state. The governor can also ask the chief minister to furnish any information relating to the proposals for legislation. These powers are also purely the governor's discretionary power. These are some of the most important constitutional discretionary powers that are available to the governor. So, that's all regarding this discussion. With this, we have come to the end of the news article discussion session. Now, let us take up the practice problems questions. We have four practice problems questions today. Let us see them one by one. Let us take up the first question. This is a pair-based question. On one side, mud flats are given. And on the other side, locations are given. We have to find how many of these pairs are correctly matched. The first pair is correctly matched. Etimoga is located in Andhra Pradesh. The second pair is also correctly matched. This we saw in the news article discussion. Kadalundi is located in Kerala. The third pair is wrongly matched. Swari is not located in Gujarat. It is actually located in Maharashtra. And the fourth one is also wrongly matched. Adarbanki is not located in West Bengal. It is actually located in Odisha. So, two pairs are correctly matched. And two pairs are incorrectly matched. So, the correct answer here is option B only two. Moving on to the next question. Here five diseases are given. We have to find how many of the diseases are covered under Universal Immunization Program of India. See, as we saw in the discussion, chickenpox is not yet covered under Universal Immunization Program of India. The rest of the four diseases are covered under it. So, the correct answer here is option C only four. Here I have displayed the diseases that are covered under the Universal Immunization Program of India. You can go through it. Moving on to the next question. Here three statements are given. We have to find how many of the given statements are the constitutional discretionary powers of the governor of the state. Let us take up the first statement. Calling the chief minister of the state to furnish any information relating to the administration of the state. This we saw in the discussion itself. It is a constitutional discretionary power of the governor. Moving on to the second statement. Sending report to the president to impose president's rule. This statement is also correct. Moving on to the third statement. Reserving the state bill for the consideration of the president. This is also a constitutional discretionary power of the governor. So, the correct answer here is option C all three. Moving on to the last question. Three statements regarding the China-Pakistan economic order is given. We have to find how many of the statements given here are correct. Look at the first statement. It aims to link the western part of China to the Gwadar port in Balochistan, Pakistan. This statement is correct. Moving on to the second statement. It is part of the Belt and Road Initiative. It is also correct. Moving on to the third statement. It passes through the Pakistan occupied cashmere. Which is a disputed region between India and Pakistan. This statement is also correct. So, the correct answer here is option C all three. With this, we have come to the end of the discussion. If you like today's video, like, comment and share it with your friends. For more updates regarding UPSC preparation, subscribe to Shankara IS Academy's YouTube channel. Thank you for listening.