Geography 

Lapis lazuli: earth’s best blues - The Hindu

• About: Vivid blue metamorphic rock, valued as a semi-precious gemstone.
• Usage: Jewellery, ornaments, and pigments for thousands of years.
• Etymology:
  • "Lapis" (Latin) = Stone
  • "Lazuli” (Persian Lazward) = Blue
• Main mineral: Lazurite (25–40%) – gives blue colour.

• Sulphur content in lazurite: Determines shade of blue.

• Other minerals:
  • Pyrite – adds golden sparkle
  • Calcite – dulls blueness
  • Diopside and Sodalite – present in small amounts
• Major Sources: Afghanistan (Badakhshan – highest quality), Chile, Russia, USA

• Mining: In Badakhshan for over 6,000 years

• India: Imported from Badakhshan since 1000 BCE; found in Indus Valley sites (Mohenjo-daro, Harappa)
• Egypt: Used in jewellery and cosmetics
• Europe (Renaissance): Ground into ultramarine pigment for paintings

Polity 

Collegium clears judge’s transfer - The Hindu / Judiciary's in-house inquiry - Indian Express 

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna recently initiated an unprecedented three-member in-house inquiry into the conduct of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma following allegations that wads of currency notes were found in his official residence where a fire broke out on March 14.

Impeachment of Judges (Article 124(4) & 218)

• Applicability: Applicable to SC and HC judges.
• Grounds: Proved misbehaviour or incapacity.
• Majority: Requires two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament.
• Passage: President issues removal order if passed.
• Failure: Motion fails if Parliament dissolves before conclusion.

Origin of In-House Mechanism

• Evolution: Evolved post-1995 allegations against CJ A.M. Bhattacharjee (Bombay HC).
• C. Ravichandran Iyer case: SC noted the gap between bad conduct and impeachable offence.
• Procedure formulated in 1997: Adopted by SC in 1999.

Steps summarised in ADJ ‘X’ v. Registrar General, MP HC case

• Complaint to CJI via CJ of HC or President.
• Preliminary inquiry by CJ of concerned HC.
• If warranted, a 3-member committee is set up by CJI.
• Committee frames its own procedure ensuring natural justice.
• Report submitted to CJI after inquiry.

Post-Inquiry Outcomes

• If allegations lack substance: Case closed.
• If misconduct found but not serious: Judge is advised; report kept on record.
• If serious: Judge advised to resign or retire.
• If refused: No judicial work assigned; President and PM informed for impeachment.

Five contentious changes proposed by the Waqf Bill, 2024 - Indian Express 

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 has elicited widespread criticism across India. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Sunday announced a nationwide agitation against the Bill.

Key Amendments in the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024

• Regulation of Waqf Properties: Strengthens the legal framework to better manage and regulate waqf properties to curb illegal encroachments and misuse of waqf lands.
• Administrative Changes: Provides the functions of Survey Commissioner to the Collector or any other officer not below the rank of Deputy Collector duly nominated by the Collector for the survey of waqf properties.
• Government Oversight: Strengthens the role of the central and state governments in monitoring waqf boards.
• Transparency and Accountability: Enhances the role of waqf boards to ensure better record-keeping.

• Secular appointment: Allows appointment of non-Muslim CEO and at least two non-Muslim members to state waqf boards.
• Condition: Appointees must be Joint Secretary-level or higher, with knowledge of Muslim law.

Power to Government Officers

• Power to a senior state officer (above District Collector): He can decide if a property is waqf or government-owned. 
• Earlier provision: Earlier, this was under the Waqf Tribunal.
• Issues: Critics fear bias as state officers may favour government in disputes.

Removal of ‘Waqf by User’

• Removal of 1995 provision: Earlier properties used long-term for religious purposes were recognised as waqf, even without documentation.
• Potential issue: May lead to disputes over undocumented waqf sites like mosques and graveyards.

Waqf Property Database

• Mandate: Mandates registration of all waqf properties on a central portal within 6 months.
• Penalty: Failure to register may forfeit the right to seek court remedy in disputes.
• Relaxation: JPC allowed Waqf Tribunal to extend registration deadline at its discretion.

Waqf Tribunal Structure 

• Composition:  District Judge and a Joint Secretary-level state officer.
• Nature of decision: Removes earlier provision making the Tribunal's decision final. Now allows appeal in High Court.

Economy 

The need for a localised urban agenda - The Hindu

India is on the cusp of a profound urban metamorphosis. In the forthcoming decades, India is anticipated to boast the most significant urban population globally. However, India’s urban future is shaped by blueprints drawn far from the streets where people live.

India’s Urban Journey

• Paced urbanisation: It accelerated post-1990s liberalisation.
• Missions by the Centre: JNNURM, PMAY, AMRUT, and SBM to drive urban growth.

Centre’s Role in Urbanisation

• Latest initiatives: PMAY, AMRUT, SBM, and metro projects had top-down designs.
• Issues: Limited flexibility for States and cities to adapt schemes to local needs.

Issues in the Top-Down Financial Approach

• Centre retained control over urban funding: Focus on infrastructure to achieve a $5 trillion economy goal.
• Centre’s restrictions: Conditions imposed by Union finance commissions (e.g., enhancing property tax) on fund transfers.

Need for Decentralised Alternatives

• Urbanisation patterns vary regionally: As can be seen in Kerala’s rural-urban continuum, Gujarat’s periphery preference.
• Mismatched uniform missions: E.g., PMAY, SBM are often mismatched with city-specific needs.
• No uniformity: Emphasis on contextual, demand-based investment over uniform national guidelines.

Reforming Financial Devolution

• Reformed devolution: Suggests 70% of Union Budget for direct State and city transfers; 30% for national priorities.
• Categorisation of funds: Eg, mobility, sanitation, housing, etc and prioritised by cities.
• City-driven planning: Support from States and knowledge agencies.
• Lessons from Smart Cities Mission: Funds underutilised or poorly spent due to pressure for quick utilisation. Infrastructure unaligned with local demand.

Why Decentralisation Matters

• Limitations of national governments: Distant for effective local service delivery.
• Better understanding: City governments better placed to engage citizens and address local needs.
• Redesigning urban missions: Clear roles for Centre, State, and local bodies is essential for sustainable urban transformation.

Environment 

WHAT IS LACKING IN INDIA'S HEAT ACTION PLANS: FINDINGS OF STUDY - Indian Express 

Most of the heat action plans (HAPs) put forth by multiple Indian cities lack long-term strategies to tackle the growing threat of extreme heat in the country, a new study has found. It also said that the cities having such strategies did not implement them effectively.

Heat Action Plan (HAP)

• About: Early warning and preparedness plan for extreme heat events.
• Aim: To reduce health impacts through coordination, awareness, and emergency response.
• Implementation: Implemented by NDMA in 23 heatwave-prone states with state-level collaboration.

Heatwave Mortality Data

• 2020: 530 confirmed
• 2022: 730 confirmed
• 2024: 161 confirmed, 269 suspected (NDMA)
• HeatWatch (2024): Reported 733 deaths (March–June) in 17 states.

Findings of the Study

• Focus on 9 cities with >1 million population: Bengaluru, Delhi, Faridabad, Gwalior, Kota, Ludhiana, Meerut, Mumbai, Surat.
• All cities had short-term measures: E.g., water access, work schedule changes.
• Long-term measures: Cooling access, insurance, fire services, grid upgrades lacking.
• Failure of Urban greening efforts: Missed targeting most heat-affected areas.
• Lacunae in existing strategies: Focus more on health response than prevention.
• Structural Issues: Lack of funding and poor departmental coordination.
   

Sci and Tech 

What are DNA polymorphisms and how do they differentiate between people? - The Hindu

Just like the government uses an Aadhaar number to uniquely identify an individual for social security purposes, a person’s DNA fingerprint can be used for biological purposes. This is why DNA analysis is such a big deal. Today, it is most often (but not exclusively) used together with technologies like PCR, capillary electrophoresis, and fingerprinting.

DNA

• Amount: Each human cell contains 46 DNA molecules (23 from each parent).
• Role: DNA is packed in chromosomes; differences (polymorphisms) help identify individuals.
• DNA profiling: Uses polymorphisms in regions called short tandem repeats (STRs).

Short Tandem Repeats (STRs)

• About: Repeated sequences of DNA bases (e.g., GATC).
• Often polymorphic: Repeat numbers vary across individuals.
• Role: Basis for DNA profiling due to their uniqueness.

DNA Replication: Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

• PCR: Amplifies specific DNA segments (up to 5,000 base-pairs).
• Process: Heating DNA to separate strands, adding primers, and synthesising new strands using DNA polymerase.
• Mechanism: Conducted using a device called a thermocycler.

DNA Fingerprinting

• Mechanism: Uses capillary electrophoresis to separate DNA fragments by size.
• Compilation: STR data from both parents is compiled into a unique DNA profile.
• Creation: Can be created from blood, bone, teeth, saliva, semen, skin, etc.

Applications of DNA Fingerprinting

• Identifies individuals and establishes parentage.
• Aids in disaster victim identification and solving crimes.
• Verifies organ donors and resolves legal disputes.
• Extremely stable—retrievable even after thousands of years.
• Has helped solve cold cases and exonerate the innocent.

Defence 

India Navy announces maiden India-African exercise, IOS Sagar - The Hindu

A cooperation initiative that India has taken with Africa is the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar.

India-Africa Naval Cooperation

• AIKEYME (Africa India Key Maritime Engagement): A multinational naval exercise with 10 African nations.
• IOS Sagar initiative: To deploy INS Sunayna to Southwest IOR (April 5–May 8) with Indian crew and 44 personnel from 9 African countries.
• Planned Port calls: At Dar-es-Salaam, Nacala, Port Louis, Port Victoria, and Male; joint EEZ surveillance with Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Seychelles.
• India’s Long-Term Naval Engagements: Joint exercises, patrols, HADR operations, capacity building, and information sharing with IOR nations.