What’s in Today’s Article?

• Why in News?
• About the Subansiri River
• About the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHEP)
• What Happened at Subansiri?

Why in News?

• A landslide has damaged part of the under-construction 2000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam which has affected the flow in the Subansiri river downstream.

About the Subansiri River

• The Subansiri River (Chayul Chu in Tibet) is a trans-Himalayan River and a tributary (right bank) of the Brahmaputra River.
• It flows through Tibet's Lhuntse County in the Shannan Prefecture, and the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
• The Subansiri is approx. 518 km (322 mi) long, with a drainage basin 32,640 square km (12,600 sq mi).
• It is the largest tributary of the Brahmaputra contributing 7.92% of the Brahmaputra's total flow.

About the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHEP)

• The Subansiri Lower Dam, officially named SLHEP, is an under-construction gravity dam on the Subansiri River in North Eastern India on the borders of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
  • A gravity dam is so called because it is their own weight that is responsible for resisting the thrust of the water.
• Described as a run-of-the-river project by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited, the Project is expected to supply 2,000 MW of power (eight 250 MW units) when completed.
  • Run-of-river hydro projects use the natural downward flow of rivers and micro turbine generators to capture the kinetic energy carried by water.
• NHPC Limited commenced construction work of the SLHEP in 2005 after obtaining forest clearance.
• The project has experienced several problems during construction to include landslides, re-design and opposition.
• Due to agitations and protests by local stakeholders, the project (which was expected to be complete in 2018) construction work was stalled between 2011 and 2019.
• The project construction resumed in 2019, after the clearance by National Green Tribunal (NGT) and is scheduled to begin operations from March 2024.
• It is notable that, if completed as planned, it will be the largest hydroelectric project in India.

What Happened at Subansiri?

• In a hydel project, a set of tunnels are built to carry water from the reservoir to the powerhouse.
  • The water turns the turbines, and then goes back into the river.
  • Once the power house is operational, this becomes the main path of the water, and the spillways (gates) are used occasionally.
• On October 27, the long delayed SLHEP suffered its latest setback after a large part of the hill on the left side of the dam collapsed into its reservoir. The landslide was the sixth to hit the dam site since April 2022.
• The deposits blocked the only functional diversion tunnel (DT) and stopped the flow of water downstream of the dam into the Subansiri river.
• The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the statutory body that advises the government on policy relating to electricity systems, had recommended that the impact of the DTs on the slope stability of the project site should be examined.
• NHPC Ltd, which is implementing the Subansiri Lower Project, ignored the recommendation.
  • According to the NHPC Ltd, no more assessment of landslide hazards and their impact was needed, and that necessary stabilisation measures have been carried out.

Q1) What are the causes of landslides in India?

Landslides refer to gravitational movements of mass of rock downwards on a slope. As per the GSI, 12.6% of the total land area in India are prone to landslides. 5 factors that trigger landslides in India: Deforestation, Shifting Cultivation, Heavy Rainfall and Earthquakes, Mining and Urbanisation.

Q2) What is the Indian capacity of hydro power generation?

In August 2023, hydropower capacity of about 46,865 MW (megawatt) accounted for roughly 11% of power generation capacity in India.

Source: How ignored landslide warnings led to Subansiri running dry

Why in news?

• Rising pollution levels in north India have led to focus returning on the Air Quality Index (AQI) score, a measure of air pollution.
• Delhi, for instance, recorded an AQI score of more than 400 on November 6. This puts the air in the ‘severe’ category.

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What is Air Quality Index (AQI)?
• Pollutants and impact on health
  • PM 10 and PM 2.5
  • Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
  • Ozone (O3)
  • Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
  • Ammonia (NH3)
  • Lead (Pb)
  • Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Air Quality Index (AQI)

• 
• AQI was launched in October 2014 to disseminate information on air quality in an easily understandable form for the general public.
• The measurement of air quality is based on eight pollutants, namely, PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb
• The AQI transforms complex air quality data of various pollutants into a single number for ease of understanding.

Pollutants and impact on health

PM 10 and PM 2.5

• These are extremely fine particulate matter (PM) particles, with the digits accompanying them referring to their diameter.
• So, PM 10 and PM 2.5 are smaller than 10 and 2.5 microns in their diameter, respectively.
  • One micron is about a thousandth of a milli-metre.
• Due to their size, the PM 2.5 particles can easily bypass the nose and throat and can enter the circulatory system.
• The particles can also lead to chronic diseases such as asthma, heart attack, bronchitis and other respiratory problems.
• Byproducts of emissions from factories, vehicular pollution, construction activities and road dust, such particles are not dispersed and stay suspended in the air that we breathe.

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)

• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gets in the air from the burning of fuel, with sources including emissions from vehicles and power plants.
• Short-term exposure to high levels of NO2 can aggravate respiratory diseases like asthma, and lead to other problems such as coughing or difficulty in breathing.
• Long-term exposure may also contribute to the development of asthma and could increase susceptibility to respiratory infections.

Ozone (O3)

• Ozone is a gas that is present in the upper layers of the atmosphere, protecting human health from the impact of the Sun’s UV rays.
• However, surface-level ozone is among the most significant air pollutants. It is formed by the reaction of atmospheric pollutants in the presence of sunlight.
• With increase in surface ozone levels, there is likelihood of an increase in risk of hospital admissions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) and the number of cardiovascular and respiratory deaths.

Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)

• The largest source of SO2 in the atmosphere is the burning of fossil fuels by power plants and other industrial facilities.
• Additional sources are industrial processes and natural sources such as volcanoes.
• As with other gases, SO2 exposure is harmful to the cardiovascular system and can lead to the development of respiratory illnesses.
• SO2 can also react with other compounds to form particulate matter.
• At high concentrations, gaseous SOx can harm trees and plants by damaging foliage and decreasing growth.

Ammonia (NH3)

• A 2017 NASA-funded study said that in India, “A broad increase in fertilizer use coupled with large contributions from livestock waste have resulted in the world’s highest concentrations of atmospheric ammonia.”
• While gaseous ammonia is a natural part of Earth’s nitrogen cycle, excess ammonia is harmful to plants and reduces air and water quality.
• In the troposphere –where all weather takes place and where people live – ammonia gas reacts with nitric and sulfuric acids to form nitrate-containing particles.
• Those particles contribute to aerosol pollution that is damaging to human health.
• Ammonia gas can also fall back to Earth and enter lakes, streams and oceans, where it contributes to harmful algal blooms and “dead zones” with dangerously low oxygen levels.

Lead (Pb)

• Lead is a naturally occurring toxic metal found in the Earth’s crust. But in increased quantities, exposure to it becomes extremely dangerous to health.
• Important sources of environmental contamination come from mining, smelting, manufacturing and even recycling activities.
• Young children are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning because they absorb four to five times as much ingested lead as adults from a given source.
• Children who survive severe lead poisoning may be left with permanent intellectual disability and behavioural disorders.

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

• A toxic, colourless and odourless gas, it is given off when fuel containing carbon, such as wood, coal and petrol, is burned.
• If CO levels are high enough, a person may become unconscious and die. Long-term exposure has been linked with an increased risk of heart disease.

Q1) What is air pollution?

Air pollution is the contamination of air by harmful gases, dust, and smoke. It can be caused by physical, chemical, or biological changes in the air.

Q2) What are pollutants?

A pollutant is a substance that causes pollution. Pollutants can be chemical, physical, or biological materials that contaminate the environment and cause pollution. They can cause both environmental and health problems.

Source: PM 2.5, Sulphur Dioxide, and more: What are the pollutants in our air, and how they impact health | ORF

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Why in the News?
• About Hypertension
• About the Study
• What needs to be done to Control Hypertension in India?

Why in the News?

• A new study finds significant variations in the occurrence and treatment of hypertension among Indian states, and also in districts within the states.

About Hypertension

• High blood pressure is a common condition that affects the body's arteries. It's also called hypertension.
• If you have high blood pressure, the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls is consistently too high. The heart has to work harder to pump blood.
• Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). In general, hypertension is a blood pressure reading of 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or higher.
• If untreated, high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and other serious health problems.
• Healthy lifestyle habits —such as not smoking, exercising and eating well — can help prevent and treat high blood pressure.

About the Study

• A group of researchers published an analysis of the recent National Family Health Survey data in the journal JAMA.
• As per the study, there is a significant variation in the level of prevalence, diagnosis, treatment, and control of hypertension among states and even districts within these states.
• The study found that a large proportion of those with hypertension do not get diagnosed, a large proportion of those who are diagnosed do not initiate treatment, and a large proportion of those who start treatment aren’t able to control their blood pressure.
  • Only one in three receives a diagnosis, one in five gets treated, and one in twelve achieves blood pressure control.
• At state level:
  • The study found that the prevalence of hypertension was similar among the southern states but higher than the national average — 29.9% of the population in the southern states as compared to 26.8% across India.
  • The proportion of people diagnosed with hypertension in the southern states was similar to the rest of India.
  • However, the proportion of people on treatment and with hypertension under control was higher in these states, the study showed.
• At district level:
  • Not only at the state level, there were significant variations within districts, too. The researchers cited the example of two states to demonstrate this.
  • In Meghalaya, the prevalence of hypertension was similar in the districts of Garo Hills (21.8%), Jaintia Hills (19.8%), and Khasi Hills (23.1%).
  • However, the proportion of those diagnosed was lower in Garo Hills at 18.6% compared to 29.4% in Khasi Hills and 41.1% in Jaintia Hills.
  • In Karnataka, four districts — Chikmagalur, Shimoga, Udupi, and Chitradurga — have a similar prevalence of hypertension, but the proportion of people treated and successfully controlled it was higher in Chikmagalur and Udupi.
• Role of Age, Gender & Education:
  • 
  • Even at the national level, there were significant variations in the four levels of the continuum of care depending on the gender, age, socio-economic conditions, and education level of the person
  • While it is well known that men are more likely to have hypertension as compared to women, surprisingly, the data showed that women were much more likely to be diagnosed, be on treatment, and have their blood pressure under control.
  • The prevalence, diagnosis, treatment, and control were all higher among those over the age of 65 years as compared to youngsters.
  • When it comes to socio-economic conditions, the prevalence, diagnosis, treatment, and control of hypertension was found to be highest among the wealthiest fifth of the population.
  • While the prevalence of hypertension was similar among those who had no schooling and those who had passed class 11, diagnosis, treatment, and control were higher among those who had completed schooling.
• Significance of District-level Data:
  • This district-level break-up of data can help state governments plan where and which level of care needs more resources.
  • For example, in a district where medicines are not available at regular intervals, the proportion of treatment is likely to be poor.
  • The local government then has to ensure that medicines are available regularly and at centers close to people’s homes.

What needs to be done to Control Hypertension in India?

• A recently released WHO report on hypertension said nearly 4.6 million deaths can be averted in India by 2040 if just half of the hypertensives were able to control their blood pressure.
• To tackle the issue, the government this year launched an ambitious initiative to put 75 million people with hypertension or diabetes on treatment by 2025.
• Further, a focus on active screening of people, putting them off treatment, ensuring the availability of medicine close to their homes, and ensuring follow-up will help in controlling hypertension in the country.

Q1) What is the difference between Heart Attack & Cardiac Arrest?

A heart attack is when one of the coronary arteries becomes blocked. The heart muscle is robbed of its vital blood supply and, if left untreated, will begin to die because it is not getting enough oxygen. A cardiac arrest is when a person's heart stops pumping blood around their body and they stop breathing normally.

Q2) What are Lifestyle Diseases?

Lifestyle diseases characterize those diseases whose occurrence is primarily based on daily habits of people and are a result of an inappropriate relationship of people with their environment.

Source: Hypertension: How its prevalence, diagnosis, control, and treatment varies across India | IE

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What is Treaty of Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE)?
• What is NATO?
• India – NATO engagement

Why in news?

• NATO announced the formal suspension of a Cold War-era security treaty in response to Russia's withdrawal from the deal.
• Most of NATO’s 31 allies have signed the Treaty of Conventional Armed Forces in Europe in 1990.
• The alliance said its members who signed the treaty are now freezing their participation in the pact.

Treaty of Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE)

• The Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) was signed in Paris in November 1990.
• Signed after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the CFE set constraints on conventional arms and equipment.
• Its purpose was to stop Cold War rivals from building up forces that could be used in a swift assault.
  • Its main objective was to reduce the possibility of a surprise armed attack and the triggering of major offensive operations in Europe.
• The treaty:
  • Established comprehensive limits on key categories of conventional military equipment in Europe (from the Atlantic to the Urals)
  • Mandated the destruction of excess weaponry
  • Eliminated the Soviet Union's overwhelming quantitative advantage in conventional weapons in Europe
  • Placed verifiable limits on categories of conventional military equipment that NATO and the then-Warsaw Pact could deploy
  • Set constraints on conventional arms and equipment
• The CFE treaty is often referred to as the "cornerstone of European security”.

NATO

• About
  • Formed in 1949 with the signing of the Washington Treaty, NATO is a security alliance of 31 countries from North America and Europe.
    • In April 2023, Finland joined the alliance as its 31^st member.
  • NATO’s fundamental goal is to safeguard the Allies’ freedom and security by political and military means.
  • It is a system of collective defence where independent member states agree for mutual defence in case of any attack by external party.
    • Article 5 of the Washington Treaty states that an attack against one Ally is an attack against all.
    • This article forms the core of the Alliance, a promise of collective defense.
  • Headquarter - Brussels, Belgium.
• Functions
  • Political
    • NATO promotes democratic values and enables members to consult and cooperate on defence and security-related issues to solve problems, build trust and, in the long run, prevent conflict.
  • Military
    • NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes.
    • If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military power to undertake crisis-management operations.

India – NATO engagement

• In August 2022, the external affairs ministry acknowledged that India and NATO are in touch at different levels for quite some time now.
  • India held its first political dialogue with the organisation in Brussels on December 12, 2019.
  • The second round was to be held in New Delhi in 2020, which was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
• This is part of India’s contacts with various stakeholders on various issues of mutual interests.

Q1) What are Urals?

The Ural Mountains or simply the Urals, is a mountain range in Eurasia that runs north-south mostly through Russia, from the coast of the Arctic Ocean to the river Ural and northwestern Kazakhstan.

Q2) What is article 5 of Washington Treaty?

Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, also known as the Washington Treaty, states that if a NATO member is attacked, all other members will consider it an attack against all of them. Article 5 also states that other members will assist the attacked member, including with armed forces if necessary.

Source: NATO announces formal suspension of Cold War-era security treaty after Russia’s pullout | Aljazeera | The Hindu