Current Affairs 9th April 2024 for UPSC Prelims Exam

Orsk

Context

• Russia has evacuated around 2,000 people from their homes in the Russian city of Orsk after rising waters in the Ural river flooded riverside villages and caused a dam to burst.
• The water levels in Orsk, Russia prompted warnings about potential additional flooding.
• Additionally, the rising waters pose a threat to the southern part of Orenburg, where a “federal emergency” has been declared due to the Ural River’s overflow.

Mapping- Orsk

• Location and Geography: South-western Russia
  • Second largest city in Orenburg Oblast, Russia
  • Located on the steppe, 100 km southeast of the Ural Mountains
  • Straddles the Ural River (border between Europe and Asia)
• Significance:
  • Near the Kazakhstan-Russia border
  • Emerged as an industrial centre by the 1930s due to natural resources.

Zaporizhzhia

Context: Ukraine had attacked the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant three times.

About Zaporizhzhia

• Zaporizhzhia is a city located in southeastern Ukraine, on the banks of the Dnieper River.
• The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and one of the ten largest in the world.
• The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear power plant was occupied by Russian forces in 2022.

VVPATs

Context: The Supreme Court announced that petitions for 100% verification of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips would be considered, ahead of the first phase of voting on April 19.

More in News

• The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) petitioned for cross-verification of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) tallies with VVPATs in March 2023, suggesting barcodes on VVPAT slips for efficiency.

What is VVPAT?

• VVPAT machines, connected to EVMs, print a slip showing the voter’s choice, which is visible behind a glass window for seven seconds before being stored securely.
• The system is designed to enhance voter confidence by providing a physical audit trail of electronically cast votes.

Evolution and Adoption of VVPATs

• Initiated in 2010, VVPATs were introduced to make EVM-based voting more transparent.
• Following trials and political feedback, the Election Commission (EC) approved VVPAT design in 2013, amending the Conduct of Elections Rules for implementation.
• VVPATs saw first use in Nagaland in 2013, reaching 100% adoption by June 2017.

Current VVPAT Counting Process

• Based on the Indian Statistical Institute’s (ISI) recommendation, VVPAT slips from five randomly selected polling booths per Assembly constituency are counted.
• This process was mandated by the Supreme Court in 2019, increasing from the previous one polling station per constituency.

Legal Battles over VVPAT Verification

• The Supreme Court ruled in favour of VVPATs for election transparency in Subramanian Swamy vs Election Commission of India, leading to government funding for VVPAT implementation.
• A 2019 petition by Chandrababu Naidu sought a minimum of 50% VVPAT verification; however, the EC argued against it due to potential result delays and infrastructure challenges.
• EC’s Stance on 50% VVPAT Counting: Counting VVPAT slips is time-consuming, with EC citing an hour per station for matching slips with EVM counts, predicting significant delays in result announcement if increased.
  • Infrastructure and manpower are cited as constraints against expanding VVPAT slip counting.

Political Demand for Increased VVPAT Verification

• Opposition parties argue for broader VVPAT verification to ensure voting transparency, ranging from demands for 50% to 100% verification.
• The INDIA alliance, including major opposition parties, demanded 100% VVPAT slip verification in December and sought a meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner.

Examples, Data and Case Studies For Value Addition

• Government initiative, Agriculture (GS 2, GS 3): Farmers in Rajasthan’s Shekhawati region are employing solar power for running electrical appliances and polyethene houses for drip irrigation.
  • These methods have improved crop yields and incomes, with one farmer’s annual profit reaching ₹15 lakh due to organic farming with vermicompost.
  • Additionally, the region is experiencing a substantial increase in the area of crops, nearly 3.5 times due to innovative practices and government subsidies for horticulture.
  • Increased income from agriculture is evident, with the annual turnover of the ‘bakra mandi’ (goat market) in Sikar reaching ₹600 crore.
• Fundamental Rights, Judiciary, Climate Change (GS 2, GS 3): The Supreme Court of India has broadened the scope of the Constitution’s Articles 14 and 21, emphasising the protection of lives and livelihoods against climate change impacts.
  • The Court has historically viewed environmental protection as integral to fundamental rights, as seen in the landmark M C Mehta v Union of India case (1987).

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