India sends notice to Pakistan to amend 1960 Indus Water Treaty

India announced that it wants to modify the 62-year-old Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan.

Why India issued notice to Pakistan?

• Unsolicited disputes over Indian hydel projects: India cited Pakistan’s intransigence in resolving disputes over the Kishenganga and Ratle hydropower projects, both in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Dragging arbitration: India protested Pakistan’s “unilateral” decision to approach a court of arbitration at The Hague.
• A foul cry: Pakistan’s move to push the World Bank for a Court of Arbitration ran counter to the pre-existing channel of dispute resolution through a “neutral expert” appointed by the World Bank.
• Renegotiating IWT: The decision to issue notice to Pakistan is a major step and could lead to the unravelling and renegotiation of the water sharing treaty.

Why is Pakistan objecting?

• Pakistan had first raised objections to India’s construction of the 330 MW Kishenganga hydroelectric project on the Jhelum river back in 2006.
• It then objected to plans to construct the 850 MW Ratle Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab river as well.
• Both India and Pakistan differred on whether the technical details of the hydel projects conformed with the treaty, given that the Jhelum and Chenab were part of the “western tributaries”.

What is Indus Water Treaty (IWT)?

• The Indus Waters Treaty is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank signed in Karachi in 1960.
• According to this agreement, control over the water flowing in three “eastern” rivers of India — the Beas, the Ravi and the Sutlej was given to India
• The control over the water flowing in three “western” rivers of India — the Indus, the Chenab and the Jhelum was given to Pakistan.

Basis of the treaty

• Equitable water-sharing: Back in time, partitioning the Indus rivers system was inevitable after the Partition of India in 1947.
• Empathizing the Partition: The sharing formula devised after prolonged negotiations sliced the Indus system into two halves.

Why is India rethinking on this treaty?

• Mostly favours Pakistan: Equitable it may have seemed, but the fact remained that India conceded 80.52 percent of the aggregate water flows in the Indus system to Pakistan.
• Unnecessarily generous: It also gave Rs 83 crore in pounds sterling to Pakistan to help build replacement canals from the western rivers. Such generosity is unusual of an upper riparian.
• Reclaiming riparian rights: India conceded its upper riparian position on the western rivers for the complete rights on the eastern rivers. Water was critical for India’s development plans.

What were the rights accorded to India?

• Limited irrigation: The treaty allowed India to use western rivers water for limited irrigation use.
• Unrestricted commercial use: It gave powers for unrestricted use for power generation, domestic industrial and non-consumptive uses such as navigation, floating of property, fish culture, etc.
• Hydel projects: It lays down precise regulations to build any water or hydel projects.
• Addressing Pak’s concerns: The pact also gives the right to Pakistan to raise objections to designs of Indian hydroelectric projects on the western rivers.

Significance of the treaty

• Testimonial to peaceful coexistence: It is a treaty that is often cited as an example of the possibilities of peaceful coexistence that exist despite the troubled relationship.
• Survived many hostilities: It has survived 3 crucial wars.
• Most successful bilateral treaty: It is internationally regarded as an example of successful conflict resolution between two countries otherwise locked in a hostile relationship.

Why has the treaty survived?

• India’s generosity: It is for India’s generosity on Pakistan for sharing waters of its own rivers.
• Free flow of waters: India has refrained from weaponizing waters. Pakistan cannot survive without this treaty.
• Huge dependence Pak economy: About 80% of Pakistan’s agriculture depends on Indus and the riparian rivers waters.
• Humanitarian grounds: Floods and droughts will starve ordinary Pakistanis while their politicians would still live in luxury.
• India’s credibility: Backtracking on the treaty could affect India’s stand as global reliable partner who disrespects bilateral agreements.

Why should India rethink?

• Blow of terroristan: PM Modi’s words hold relevance that “Blood and waters cannot flow together”.
• A tit for tat: If India wants, it can either flood or drought-starve Pakistan by not obligating to this treaty.

Way forward

• The role of India, as a responsible upper riparian abiding by the provisions of the treaty, has been remarkable.
• However, India needs to rethink or re-negotiate this treaty.
• Just like water affects ordinary Pakistanis, so does terrorism affects Indians.

 

 

Veer Guardian 2023 conclude

The inaugural edition of the 16-day bilateral air exercise between the Indian Air Force and the Japan Air Self-Defence Force has concluded in Japan. The exercise, ‘Veer Guardian 2023’, involved precise planning and skilful execution by both the air forces, the Indian Air Force said.

What

1. The IAF and JASDF engaged in air combat manoeuvring, interception and air defence missions, both in visual and beyond visual range settings.
2. Aircrew of the two participating air forces also flew in each other’s fighter aircraft to gain a deeper understanding of each other’s operating philosophies, the IAF said.
3. It said the JASDF participated in the exercise with its F-2 and F-15 aircraft, while the IAF contingent participated with the Su-30 MKI aircraft.
4. The IAF fighter contingent was complemented by one IL-78 flight refuelling aircraft and two C-17 Globemaster strategic airlift transport aircraft.
5. The exercise also witnessed numerous ground interactions between IAF and JASDF personnel wherein various aspects were discussed by both sides.
6. This enabled the participating contingents to obtain an invaluable insight into each other’s best practices and learn from each other’s unique capabilities.

 

 

India’s first nasal Covid vaccine

India got its first-ever intranasal vaccine iNCOVACC, which was manufactured by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech. The vaccine, dubbed “game changer” by some experts, was launched by Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya and science and technology minister Jitendra Singh.

More about vaccine

1. The nasal vaccine — BBV154 — had received the Drugs Controller General of India’s (DCGI) approval in November for restricted emergency use among adults as a heterologous booster dose.
2. The dose will be priced at Rs 800 per dose for the private markets and Rs 325 per dose for central and state governments.
3. iNCOVACC is a recombinant replication deficient adenovirus vectored vaccine with a pre-fusion stabilised spike protein.
4. This vaccine candidate was evaluated in phase I, II and III clinical trials with successful results.
5. The vectored intranasal delivery platform gives us the capability for rapid product development, scale-up and easy and painless immunization during public health emergencies and pandemics.

How does iNCOVACC work?

1. iNCOVACC is a recombinant replication-deficient adenovirus vectored vaccine with a pre-fusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
2. iNCOVACC has been specifically formulated to allow intranasal delivery through nasal drops.
3. The nasal delivery system has been designed and developed to be cost-effective in low- and middle-income countries.

Mughal Gardens renamed

The iconic Mughal Gardens at the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President’s House) in Delhi have been renamed. “The collective identity of all the gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan will be ‘Amrit Udyan’. Earlier there were descriptive identities, now a new identity has been given to the gardens.

A long history of Mughal Gardens in India

1. The Mughals were known to appreciate gardens. In Babur Nama, Babur says that his favourite kind of garden is the Persian charbagh style (literally, four gardens).
2. The charbagh structure was intended to create a representation of an earthly utopia – jannat – in which humans co-exist in perfect harmony with all elements of nature.
3. Defined by its rectilinear layouts, divided in four equal sections, these gardens can be found across lands previously ruled by the Mughals.
4. From the gardens surrounding Humanyun’s Tomb in Delhi to the Nishat Bagh in Srinagar, all are built in this style – giving them the moniker of Mughal Gardens.
5. A defining feature of these gardens is the use of waterways, often to demarcate the various quadrants of the garden.
6. These were not only crucial to maintain the flora of the garden, they also were an important part of its aesthetic. Fountains were often built, symbolising the “cycle of life.”

The gardens at the new Viceroy’s house

1. In 1911, the British decided to shift the Indian capital from Calcutta to Delhi. This would be a mammoth exercise, involving construction of a whole new city – New Delhi – that would be built as the British Crown’s seat of power in its most valuable colony.
2. About 4,000 acres of land was acquired to construct the Viceroy’s House with Sir Edwin Lutyens being given the task of designing the building on Raisina Hill.
3. Lutyens’ designs combined elements of classical European architecture with Indian styles, producing a unique aesthetic that defines Lutyens’ Delhi till date.
4. Crucial in the design of the Viceroy’s House was a large garden in its rear. While initial plans involved creating a garden with traditional British sensibilities in mind, Lady Hardinge, the wife of the then Viceroy, urged planners to create a Mughal-style garden.
5. It is said that she was inspired by the book Gardens of the Great Mughals (1913) by Constance Villiers-Stuart as well as her visits to Mughal gardens in Lahore and Srinagar.

Rise in Water bird count recorded

There 5,396 birds belonging to 70 species reported from 11 sites spread across the district in the Asian Water birds Census. Last year, the count was 3,270 birds from 72 species. The Asian Water bird Census (AWC) 2023 has recorded a 65% increase in water birds in Thiruvananthapuram district, albeit with a slight dip in the count of species. The annual census that was jointly conducted by WWF-India and the social forestry wing of the Forest department recently enumerated 5,396 birds belonging to 70 species from 11 sites spread across the district.

Black-capped Kingfisher

1. This was a considerable increase from the count of 3,270 birds belonging to 72 species recorded last year.
2. Barring a slight decline that was observed in Poovar estuary and the Punchakkari-Vellayani wetland complex, all the other locations reported a trend of increasing population.
3. However, the birders raised concerns on the quality of habitats across all the wetlands.
4. Except Pazhanchira wetlands near Attingal, all the other wetlands have been facing multiple and severe threats from anthropogenic activities.

Threats at Vellayani

1. The Punchakkari-Vellayani wetland complex, regarded the birding hub of the capital city, has been experiencing threats in the form of solid waste dumping, shift from paddy cultivation to fertiliser-intensive vegetable cultivation, and noise pollution from crackers that are used by farmers to scare away birds, and loudspeakers. A growing trend of wedding and other photo shoots has also driven away birds from the area.
2. The team visited the comparatively less disturbed Pazhanchira wetlands, near Attingal, and counted 1,298 birds belonging to 34 species.
3. The Akkulam wetlands reported an increase in bird count compared to the last year, despite the lake facing grave threats from unscientific developmental activities, reclamation, and severe water pollution.

Home to Migratory Birds

1. Wetland is home to many bird species including migratory ones like Pacific Golden Plover, Western Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Painted Stork, Eurasian Spoonbill, Wood Sandpiper and Grey-headed Lapwing. The team counted 1,419 birds belonging to 51 species at this location.
2. Shore birds such as Great Crested Terns, Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers, Kentish Plovers and Western Reef Herons were sighted in the Poovar estuary.

What is Immune Imprinting?

A slew of recent studies has shown that a phenomenon in our bodies, called immune imprinting, might be making new boosters vaccines far less effective than expected for coronavirus infection.

What is Immune Imprinting?

• Immune imprinting is a tendency of the body to repeat its immune response based on the first variant it encountered.
• Our body does this through infection or vaccination — when it comes across a newer or slightly different variant of the same pathogen.
• The phenomenon was first observed in 1947, when scientists noted that “people who had previously had flu, and were then vaccinated against the current circulating strain, produced antibodies against the first strain.
• At the time, it was termed the ‘original antigenic sin’ but today, it’s commonly known as imprinting.

How imprinting works for immune system?

• Imprinting acts as a database for the immune system, helping it put up a better response to repeat infections.
• After our body is exposed to a virus for the first time, it produces memory B cells that circulate in the bloodstream and quickly produce antibodies whenever the same strain of the virus infects again.
• The problem occurs when a similar, not identical, variant of the virus is encountered by the body.
• In such cases, the immune system, rather than generating new B cells, activates memory B cells.
• This in turn produce antibodies that bind to features found in both the old and new strains, known as cross-reactive antibodies.

Are the booster doses completely useless?

• These cross-reactive antibodies do offer some protection against the new strain,.
• However they are not as effective as the ones produced by the B cells when the body first came across the original virus.

How to circumvent immune imprinting?

• Currently, several ongoing studies are trying to find a way to deal with imprinting.
• Some scientists have said nasal vaccines might be better at preventing infections than injected ones.
• They believe the mucous membranes would create stronger protection, despite carrying some imprint of past exposure.
• Researchers are also trying to find if spacing out coronavirus vaccine shots on an annual basis, could help with the problem of imprinting.