Daily Current Affairs 11 April 2020 | UPSC Current Affairs 2020

Current Affairs Of Today Are

1) What is Piezoelectricity?

Researchers from the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology, have made computer-based designs of nano-materials with superhigh piezoelectricity which can be the building blocks of futuristic nano-electronics for applications like ultrathin, next-generation nano-transistors.
Piezoelectricity is the generation of electricity in certain materials upon application of pressure. Its applications have eased our daily lives through the use of lighters, pressure gauge, sensors and so on.
Piezoelectricity in 2D materials was first predicted theoretically in 2012 and later observed and confirmed experimentally in monolayer in 2014. Since then, there have been a surge in research interests in piezoelectricity in graphene-like two-dimensional (2D) materials, thereby leading to the exploration of piezoelectricity in 2D materials or avenues to induce or enhance piezoelectricity in 2D materials. However, most of the 2D materials reported to date mainly show in-plane piezoelectricity; however, for device-based applications, out-of-plane piezoelectricity is very much desired and sought after.
Prof. Abir De Sarkar & his Ph.D. student, Manish Kumar Mohanta in their recent publications in Nanoscale and American Chemical Society have demonstrated induction of superhigh out-of-plane piezoelectricity via stacking one monolayer over the other in the 2D nanostructure.
The induction of this phenomenon is based on two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructure (vdWH) comprising of 2D monolayers, The vdWH is a new approach in materials design where different monolayers having complementary properties are combined together to surmount their intrinsic limitations. When two monolayers are stacked over one another to constitute a vdWH, various factors affect the electronic properties. The dipoles arising at the interface due to the large charge density difference between the two constituent monolayers extend out into the interlayer region, which results in such an ultrahigh value in out-of-plane piezoelectricity.
In their work funded by the Department of Science and Technology under Nanomission and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India the researchers have predicted that the out-of-plane piezoelectric coefficient of the materials designed by them will reach as high as 40.33 pm/V, which is very high as compared to the bulk materials, such as wurtzite AlN (5.1 pm/V), GaN (3.1 pm/V), commonly used in the industry.
With the continued trend in the miniaturization of electronic devices, there is a growing demand for superfast ultrathin nanodevices and nano transistors. The nanostructures could be an essential ingredient or building block in constructing these kinds of nanodevices. The superfast nanoelectronics can be realized from the ultrahigh charge carrier mobility in ultrathin nanostructures. The carrier mobility of the designed nano-materials has been found to exceed that for silicon and therefore, the ultrathin nanostructures thereby providing an insight into the building blocks in futuristic nano-electronics.
The computational materials can motivate experimentalists to fabricate nanodevices with the desired functionality. Transistors used in the motherboard of Computers and Laptops are getting tinier and thinner with time. So, piezoelectric nanomaterials may be utilized in these ultrathin, next-generation nano-transistors through a synergistic coupling between piezoelectricity and electronics.

Source: PIB

2) G20 Extraordinary Energy Ministers Meeting

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel, participated in the G20 Extraordinary Energy Ministers’ virtual Meeting on 10th April 2020. The meeting was called by Saudi Arabia, in its capacity as the G20 Presidency, and chaired by Saudi Arabia Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz. The meeting was attended by Energy Ministers of G20 countries, guest countries, and heads of international organizations including OPEC, IEA, and IEF.
The G20 Energy Ministers’ focused on ways and means to ensure stable energy markets, which are affected due to demand reduction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing surplus production-related matters.
The Minister highlighted the decision of Hon’ble Prime Minister, under the aegis of the Ujjwala scheme, to provide 80.3 million poor families free LPG cylinders, as part of a 23 billion dollars relief package. He emphasized that India was, and will continue to be, the global energy demand center. He also highlighted the Government of India’s efforts to fill in our Strategic Petroleum Reserves.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana is a scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas for providing LPG connections to women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households.

Need

In India, the poor have limited access to cooking gas (LPG). The spread of LPG cylinders has been predominantly in the urban and semi-urban areas with coverage mostly in the middle class and affluent households. But there are serious health hazards associated with cooking based on fossil fuels. According to WHO estimates, about 5 lakh deaths in India alone due to unclean cooking fuels. Most of these premature deaths were due to non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer. Indoor air pollution is also responsible for a significant number of acute respiratory illnesses in young children. According to experts, having an open fire in the kitchen is like burning 400 cigarettes an hour.
Providing LPG connections to BPL households will ensure universal coverage of cooking gas in the country. This measure will empower women and protect their health. It will reduce drudgery and the time spent on cooking. It will also provide employment for rural youth in the supply chain of cooking gas.

Target beneficiaries

Under the scheme, an adult woman belonging to a poor family not having an LPG connection in her household is an eligible beneficiary under the expanded scheme.
The release of LPG connection under this Scheme shall be in the name of the women belonging to the BPL family.
Initially, the Government covered the following categories under the Scheme:-
Beneficiaries listed in the SECC 2011 list

All SC/STs households beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana(PMAY) (Gramin)
Antyoday Anna Yojana (AAY)
Forest dwellers
Most Backward Classes (MBC)
Tea & Ex-Tea Garden Tribes
People residing in Islands
People residing in river islands.

Benefits to the citizens

Under the scheme, five crore LPG connections are to be provided to BPL households. The Scheme provides financial support of Rs 1600 for each LPG connection to the BPL households, interest-free loan to purchase stove and refill by Oil Marketing Companies. The administrative cost of Rs. 1600 per connection, which includes a cylinder, pressure regulator, booklet, safety hose, etc. would be borne by the Government.

G20 virtual summit

Leaders of the G20 (Group of Twenty) nations are holding a video conference.
The virtual summit will be led by King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud of Saudi Arabia, which is the current president of the economic grouping.
For 2020, Spain, Jordan, Singapore, and Switzerland are the invited countries.
What is the G20?
The G20 is an annual meeting of leaders from the countries with the largest and fastest-growing economies. Its members account for 85% of the world’s GDP, and two-thirds of its population.
The G20 Summit is formally known as the “Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy”.

Establishment:

After the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997-1998, it was acknowledged that the participation of major emerging market countries is needed on discussions on the international financial system, and G7 finance ministers agreed to establish the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting in 1999.

Presidency:

The group has no permanent staff of its own, so every year in December, a G20 country from a rotating region takes on the presidency.
That country is then responsible for organizing the next summit, as well as smaller meetings for the coming year.
They can also choose to invite non-member countries along as guests. The first G20 meeting took place in Berlin in 1999, after a financial crisis in East Asia affected many countries around the world.

Full membership of the G20:

Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.

Its relevance in changing times:

As globalization progresses and various issues become more intricately intertwined, the recent G20 summits have focused not only on macroeconomy and trade but also on a wide range of global issues which have an immense impact on the global economy, such as development, climate change, and energy, health, counter-terrorism, as well as migration and refugees.
The G20 has sought to realize an inclusive and sustainable world through its contributions towards resolving these global issues.

What is G20+?

The G20 developing nations, also called G21/G23/G20+ is a bloc of developing nations that was established on August 20, 2003. It is distinct from the G20 major economies.
The G20+ originated in September 2003 at the 5th ministerial conference of the WTO held at Cancun, Mexico.
Its origins can be traced to the Brasilia Declaration signed by the foreign ministers of India, Brazil and South Africa on 6th June 2003.
The declaration stated that the major economies were still practicing protectionist policies especially in sectors they were less competitive in and that it was important to see to it that the trade negotiations that took place provided for the reversal of those policies.
The G20+ is responsible for 60% of the world population, 26% of the world’s agricultural exports and 70% of its farmers.

What is Opec+?

Opec+ refers to the alliance of crude producers, who have been undertaking corrections in supply in the oil markets since 2017.
OPEC plus countries include Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, South Sudan, and Sudan.
What are their goals?
The Opec and non-Opec producers first formed the alliance at a historic meeting in Algiers in 2016.
The aim was to undertake production restrictions to help resuscitate a flailing market.

What is OPEC?

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded in Baghdad, Iraq, with the signing of an agreement in September 1960 by five countries namely the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. They were to become the Founder Members of the Organization.
It is a permanent, intergovernmental organization.
Currently, the Organization has a total of 14 Member Countries.
OPEC’s objective is to co-ordinate and unify petroleum policies among Member Countries, to secure fair and stable prices for petroleum producers; an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consuming nations; and a fair return on capital to those investing in the industry.
It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
OPEC membership is open to any country that is a substantial exporter of oil and which shares the ideals of the organization.

Why is OPEC+ more influential than OPEC?

OPEC’s 14 members control 35 percent of global oil supplies and 82 percent of proven reserves. With the addition of the 10 Non-OPEC nations, notable among them Russia, Mexico and Kazakhstan, those shares increase to 55 percent and 90 percent respectively. This affords OPEC+ a level of influence over the world economy never seen before.

Source: PIB

3) Rs. 15000 Crore Sanctioned to States

Recently, the Central Government has sanctioned ₹15,000 crores to States under the India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package.

Key Points

The package is a 100% centrally-funded scheme and the funds will be provided under a mission mode approach.
Amount of ₹7774 crores will be utilized for immediate COVID-19 Emergency Response and rest will be used for medium-term support (1-4 years).

The amount of ₹4113 crores has already been disbursed to all the States and Union Territories (UTs) dealing with the emergency response to the pandemic.

Objective:

The mounting emergency response through the development of diagnostics and dedicated treatment facilities.
Strengthening pandemic research, community engagement, risk communication, and implementation
Management, capacity building, monitoring, and evaluation.

As per the evolving conditions, the government is authorized to re-appropriate resources among various components of the package and among various implementation agencies like the National Health Mission, Central Procurement, Railways, Department of Health Research/Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), National Centre for Disease Control.
The States can use the funds for:

Centralized procurement of essential medical equipment and drugs required for treatment of infected patients (Personal Protective Equipment, isolation beds, ICU beds, ventilators, etc.)
Strengthen and build health systems to support prevention and preparedness for future disease outbreaks.
Setting up of laboratories and bolstering surveillance activities, biosecurity preparedness, pandemic research and proactively engage communities.
Conducting risk communication activities.

Reasons for Strained State Finances

Fall in the revenues due to the lockdown and higher spending due to the coping measures against novel coronavirus pandemic.

There are no buyers for state bonds, and goods and services tax collections are down, revenues from fuel, liquor, stamp duty, and registration charges are also down.
At the same time, the states are incurring bulk of the on-the-ground expenditures on containing COVID-19.

States are currently mandated to keep their fiscal deficits within 3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

A one percentage point relaxation will give them latitude to borrow an extra ₹200,000 crore or so, but this will not really work in a “broken” bond market as investors demand higher interest rates.

Simply put, the borrowing costs for states have gone up by almost one percentage point in less than a month.
Few states wanted to borrow around ₹37,500 crores through the sale of bonds, with tenures ranging from two to 15 years, conducted on the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) auction platform.

However, they were able to mobilize only ₹32,560 crores.

Since 1st April, the central bank has increased the existing ways and means advance limits (for states to borrow at the repo rate) by 30%, apart from allowing them to be in overdraft for 21 continuous working days, from the earlier 14 days.

Source: The Hindu

4) Measures for Farmers’ Welfare

The Government has taken up measures to protect farmers facing obstacles during the lockdown due to COVID-19.

Measures for Fruit and Vegetable Farmers

Fruit and Vegetable Farmers have been among the hardest hit by the lockdown. They are facing major losses due to obstacles in harvesting and marketing their perishable produce.
The Central Government has directed all the States and Union Territories to implement the Market Intervention Scheme to ensure remunerative prices to farmers for perishable crops.
It has also begun a train service to transport perishable agricultural and horticultural commodities to markets due to the obstacles in road transport.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare 50 trains have been deployed for this purpose.

Market Intervention Scheme

Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) is implemented by the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare.
The objective of MIS is to provide remunerative prices to the farmers in case of excess production and fall in prices.
The MIS is an ad-hoc scheme under which includes horticultural commodities and other agricultural commodities.

These commodities are perishable in nature and are not covered under the minimum price support scheme.

Further, the MIS is implemented on the specific requests of the State Government/UT Administrations willing to share the loss with the Central Government on a 50:50 basis (75:25 in case of North-Eastern States).

Measures for Pulses and Oilseeds Farmers

Farmers, mostly in dry-land areas, have been complaining that market prices for toor and urad dal, chickpeas and soybean are far below the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) in many mandis, with trading disrupted by the lockdown.

The MSP is the rate at which the government buys grains from farmers.
It is fixed on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).

The Centre has extended the procurement window for its Price Support Scheme (PSS) up to 90 days from the date of commencement of the scheme in each State.
The PSS is operationalized on the State governments’ request when the prices fall below the minimum support price (MSP).
The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) and other agencies procure pulses and oilseeds under the scheme at the MSP.

The procurement of pulses will also aid in the implementation of the Centre’s promise to provide one kg of pulses per month to all families with ration cards for the three months as part of a COVID-19 relief package (Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana).

National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd

NAFED is registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002.
It was set up in 1958 to promote the Cooperative marketing of Agricultural Produce to benefit the farmers.
Agricultural farmers are the members of the General Body of NAFED, who participate in the decision-making process of NAFED.

Source: The Hindu

5) Alternative Market Channel for Farmers

In Maharashtra, an alternative market channel aids the impact on the production and distribution of agricultural commodities as a result of the lockdown.

It is a nearly two-decade-old initiative to reach fresh produce directly to consumers in Maharashtra, bypassing the mandis.
Mandi System:

The mandi is a marketplace where farmers sell their produce to licensed buyers through an auction.
It is operated as per the regulations of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC).
The auction is facilitated by the AddThis (commission agents, middlemen) at the mandi, who hold licenses and are allotted a shop in the market.
These are wholesale markets - sites of aggregation and assembly, dealing with the bulk purchases and trade of agricultural commodities before goods are processed in different units and distributed through a range of retail channels.

Key Points

The model was introduced in the early 2000s.
The idea was to create smaller, less congested markets in urban areas with the participation of farmers’ groups and Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) so that growers of vegetables and fruit have direct access to consumers.
The model is implemented by the state Agriculture Department and the Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB). Maharashtra is one of a handful of states where FPCs are robust.

At least 118 such markets were set up in Mumbai, Pune, and Thane, with more planned in Nashik, Aurangabad, and other cities before the lockdown began on March 24, 2020.
The farmers’ groups have filled much of the gap created by the shuttering of wholesale markets. More than 200 FPCs are now supplying fresh vegetables in urban Maharashtra.

Working

The government and MSAMB identify farmer groups and FPCs and form clusters.
The FPCs and farmers’ groups are allotted space for weekly markets in municipal wards or localities.
The local bodies choose the market sites and link the markets for direct delivery to cooperative housing societies.
Some producers’ groups even park pick-up trucks loaded with fruits and vegetables at the gates of housing societies.

Advantages during lockdown when social distancing is critical:

The traffic of both buyers and sellers in these decentralized markets can be controlled more effectively than in wholesale mandis.
In several areas of Pune and Mumbai, the decentralized markets have given way to FPCs delivering directly to the gates of housing societies.
Most FPCs have minimized contact, and have taken to selling pre-packed, customized packets of vegetables.

Benefits to Farmers

The start of the COVID-19 coincided with the peak vegetable harvesting season.
As the markets were locked down, there was a threat to the crop in over 100 lakh hectares in the country.
A significant part of the produce of the state has made its way to these markets, lessening the impact on farmers.
More importantly, larger numbers of vegetable growers in Maharashtra have got into direct selling to consumers.
The practices of rudimentary packing, sorting, and branding are being inculcated in farmers, as they pack and send pre-ordered packets to housing societies.
This model will likely help create alternative market chains that could continue even after lockdown.

Farmer Producer Companies

A provision for setting up FPCs was made in the Companies Act, 1956 in 2003 by an amendment to the Act.
According to the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), a producer company is a hybrid between a private limited company and a cooperative society.

Therefore, it enjoys the benefits of professional management of a private limited company as well as mutual benefits derived from a cooperative society.

Most of these FPCs are concentrated in a few states such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Bihar.

Some have been formed by landless women, laborers or marginal farmers.
A significant proportion of FPCs has been engaged in the sale of agricultural inputs such as seeds and pesticides to farmers while some of them are involved in commercial seed production.
However, only a handful of FPCs have been able to become financially viable.

Source: Indian Express

6) EPFO Disbursed Claims

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has processed nearly 1.37 lakh claims and disbursed an amount of Rs 279.65 crore since the launch of the online facility allowing advance withdrawal in March 29, 2020.

Key Points

The scheme allowing advance withdrawal from EPF accounts was notified in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
It allows withdrawal not exceeding the basic wages and dearness allowances for three months or up to 75% of the PF balance, whichever is less.
The Finance Minister — as part of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana —had said that the government will bear the cost of the provident fund contributions, both of the employer and employees—12% each—for the three months (April - June) for those establishments which have up to 100 employees and 90% of whom are earning less than ₹15,000 per month as salary.

The government also relaxed withdrawal conditions from EPF accounts.

Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)

It is a government organization that manages the provident fund and pension accounts for the workforce engaged in the organized sector in India.
It implements the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.

The Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 provides for the institution of provident funds for employees in factories and other establishments.

It is administered by the Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India.
It is one of the World's largest Social Security Organisations in terms of clientele and the volume of financial transactions undertaken.

Source: Indian Express

7) Demand for a Relief Package

The National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) have sought 200 billion dollars (about Rs 15 lakh crore) from the government as a relief package to minimize the economic impact of COVID-19.

The relief package demanded the industry is around 10% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Key Points

They have also called for a partial lifting of the lockdown on construction sites to reduce job losses.
NAREDCO also called for suspending all cases under the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for the next six months amid an economic slowdown.
NAREDCO has compiled standard operating procedures guidelines to ensure safety for people in and around construction sites.
The real estate sector is already facing a severe credit squeeze after the collapse of IL & FS followed by NBFCs Crisis/ Shadow Banking Stress.
The real estate sector accounts for 7% of the GDP and employs 11% of the country's population.

About NAREDCO

National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) was established as an autonomous self-regulatory body in 1998.
It comes under the aegis of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Govt. of India.
NAREDCO is hailed as the apex national body for the real estate industry.

About ASSOCHAM

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India is one of the highest trade associations in India.
It was established in 1920.

Source: The Hindu

8) IIT(BHU)'s innovation center makes full-body Sanitization Device

In today's global environment, everyone is trying to fight against the COVID-19 virus. At present, the only way to defend ourselves from the corona is to sanitize properly and maintain social distance. Shri Jeetu Shukla, an incubate of Malaviya Centre for Innovation, Incubation, and Entrepreneurship (MCIIE) at IIT(BHU) has developed a device that can be used to sanitize the entire body. The device can be mounted anywhere and it works in an automated manner. The device is sensor-based which can be installed outside any premises. The sensor-based installed machine will automatically detect a person coming in front of the device and will spray 10-15 ml of sanitizer for 15 seconds and this will sanitize the person's entire body, clothes, shoes, etc. This device can be installed at any place where there is the movement of people so that the person can enter the premises only after getting sanitized.
Giving information in this regard, Prof. P.K. Mishra, Coordinator, Malviya Centre for Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship, IIT(BHU) said that this device has been made according to today's requirement. We are using a normal sanitizer currently being used by Govt. Due to this sanitization, it is possible to avoid most of the viruses that cause harm to the person. Validation of the dose, exposure time, frequency is under process. However, even after being sanitized with this device, one is required to wear masks, make social distancing and wash hands with soap at regular intervals.

Source: PIB

9) PCPNDT Act

MoHFW has clarified that it has not suspended the PC&PNDT Act, which prohibits sex selection before or after conception.

What’s the issue?

Given the ongoing lockdown, due to the COVID19 pandemic, the Health Ministry has issued a notification dated April 4, 2020, to defer/suspend certain provisions under the PC&PNDT Rules 1996.
These Rules pertain to applying for renewal of registration if falling due in this period, submission of reports by diagnostics centers by the 5th day of the following month and submission of quarterly progress report (QPR) by the States/UTs.
But, a section of the media is speculating that the PC&PNDT (Pre Conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection)) Act 1994 has been suspended by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

About the PCPNDT Act:

The Pre-conception & Pre-natal Diagnostics Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act, 1994 was enacted in response to the decline in Sex ratio in India, which deteriorated from 972 in 1901 to 927 in 1991.
The main purpose of enacting the act is to ban the use of sex selection techniques before or after conception and prevent the misuse of prenatal diagnostic techniques for sex-selective abortion.
Offenses under this act include conducting or helping in the conduct of prenatal diagnostic technique in the unregistered units, sex selection on a man or woman, conducting PND test for any purpose other than the one mentioned in the act, sale, distribution, supply, renting, etc. of an ultrasound machine or any other equipment capable of detecting sex of the fetus.

Amendments:

The act was amended in 2003 to improve the regulation of the technology used in sex selection.
The Act was amended to bring the technique of preconception sex selection and ultrasound technique within the ambit of the act.
The amendment also empowered the central supervisory board and state level supervisory board was constituted.

Main provisions in the act are:

The Act provides for the prohibition of sex selection, before or after conception.
It regulates the use of pre-natal diagnostic techniques, like ultrasound and amniocentesis by allowing them their use only to detect few cases.
No laboratory or center or clinic will conduct any test including ultrasonography to determine the sex of the fetus.
No person, including the one who is conducting the procedure as per the law, will communicate the sex of the fetus to the pregnant woman or her relatives by words, signs or any other method.
Any person who puts an advertisement for pre-natal and pre-conception sex determination facilities in the form of a notice, circular, label, wrapper or any document, or advertises through the interior or other media in electronic or print form or engages in any visible representation made using hoarding, wall painting, signal, light, sound, smoke or gas, can be imprisoned for up to three years and fined Rs. 10,000.
The Act mandates compulsory registration of all diagnostic laboratories, all genetic counseling centers, genetic laboratories, genetic clinics, and ultrasound clinics.

Source: PIB

10) Uranium Contamination in Ground Water

A new study conducted by the University of Manchester, UK and Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Phulwarisharif in Patna has found uranium contaminating the groundwater in 10 districts of Bihar.

Key findings:

Supaul, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Patna, Nalanda, Nawada, Aurangabad, Gaya and Jehanabad are the 10 districts.
Uranium concentrations are elevated mostly in the North West-South East band along and to the east of Gandak river and running south of the Ganga river.
The maximum uranium content was in Supaul, 80 micrograms of uranium per liter of water.

What is the acceptable limit?

The Indian Standard IS 10500: 2012 for Drinking Water specification has specified the maximum acceptable limits for radioactive residues as alpha and beta emitters, values over which render the water not suitable.
These requirements take into account all radioactive elements including uranium. No individual radioactive elements have been specifically identified.
As per the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS), the maximum permissible limit of Uranium is 0.03 mg/l (as per WHO provisional guidelines) in all drinking water standards after following due process.

Affected states:

A report brought out by Duke University, the USA in association with Central Ground Water Board and State Ground Water departments state that Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jammu & Kashmir have localized occurrence of Uranium concentration.

Main factors responsible for uranium contamination:

Amount of uranium contained in an aquifer’s rocks.
Water-rock interactions that cause the uranium to be extracted from those rocks.
Oxidation conditions that enhance the extracted uranium’s solubility in water.
The interaction of the extracted uranium with other chemicals in the groundwater, such as bicarbonate, which can further enhance its solubility.
Human factors such as groundwater table decline and nitrate pollution may be exacerbating the problem.

What needs to be done?

Revision of the current water quality monitoring program in India.
Evaluation of human health risks in areas of high uranium prevalence.
Development of adequate remediation technologies.
Implementation of preventive management practices to address this problem.
Including a uranium standard in the Bureau of Indian Standards’ Drinking Water Specification based on uranium’s kidney-harming effects.
Establishing monitoring systems to identify at-risk areas, and exploring new ways to prevent or treat uranium contamination.

What is Uranium?

Uranium is weakly radioactive and remains so because of its long physical half-life (4.468 billion years for uranium-238).
The biological half-life (the average time it takes for the human body to eliminate half the amount in the body) for uranium is about 15 days.
It is a naturally occurring element found in low levels within all rock, soil, and water.
This is the highest-numbered element to be found naturally in significant quantities on earth.
It is considered to be more plentiful than antimony, beryllium, cadmium, gold, mercury, silver, or tungsten.
It is about as abundant as tin, arsenic or molybdenum.

Source: Down to earth