Prelims-Pinpointer-for-17-oct-2025

Prelims

Aravali Safari Park Project

Context: Environmental activists opposes Haryana’s Aravali Zoo Safari Project for violating environmental norms.

Aravali Safari Park Project

• Envisioned as the world’s largest safari park, covering approximately 10,000 acres.
• The project is inspired by UAE’s Sharjah Park model.
• Aims to promote eco-tourism and facilitate compensatory afforestation.
• Development will be restricted to areas where forest density is less than 40%.
• Compensatory Afforestation Context: Designed to compensate for the loss of 26,000 acres of tropical forests in Great Nicobar
• Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 was amended in 2023
  • The amendment brought zoo development under ‘forest’ activity classification.
  • This legal change now permits construction of zoos in forest areas

Aravali Mountain Range

• Geographical Features:
  • The Aravallis are the world’s oldest fold mountain range.
  • The range runs diagonally (northeast to southwest) for approximately 690 km.
  • It extends across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Haryana.
  • The highest peak is Guru Shikhar on Mount Abu (Rajasthan) at 1,722 metres.
• Ecological Significance:
  • The range plays a critical role in preventing eastward desertification.
  • It is essential for groundwater recharge in the region.
  • The hidden limb of Aravallis extends from Delhi to Haridwar.
  • This hidden extension separates the drainage systems of the Ganga and Indus rivers.

North-East Monsoon

Syllabus: Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India

Context: The northeast monsoon arrived timely thus benefiting Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh’s coastal and Rayalaseema regions. 

Northeast Monsoon (Retreating Monsoon)

• The Northeast Monsoon, also called the Retreating Monsoon, occurs during October to December. 
• It is characterized by winds flowing from the northeast direction towards the Indian subcontinent. These winds originate as northeast trade winds and carry moisture from the Bay of Bengal.

Geographical Coverage:

• Primarily impacts southeastern India, particularly Tamil Nadu and coastal Andhra Pradesh.
  • The northeast monsoon accounts for 48% of annual rainfall for Tamil Nadu and over 30% for Andhra Pradesh based on 1971-2020 data.
• They receives substantial rainfall due to the rain shadow effect. Western regions experience relatively dry conditions during this period.
• Kerala also receives rainfall during this season, referred to as its second rainy period.

Characteristics and Mechanism

• Seasonal Features:
  • Marks the transition phase from the rainy season to winter.
  • Brings cooler temperatures and helps reduce the residual heat from summer.
  • Rainfall is generally less intense than the Southwest Monsoon but remains significant for affected regions.
  • Shows seasonal variability, with some years experiencing heavier rainfall than others.
• Mechanism of Formation:
  • The sun’s southward movement shifts the monsoon trough or low-pressure areas towards the south.
  • This leads to the weakening of troughs over Northern Plains by October.
  • High-pressure systems develop over the Northern Plains as cold winds descend from the Himalayas and Indo-Gangetic Plains.
  • By early October, monsoons withdraw from Northern India, and the Northeast Monsoon begins affecting southeastern regions.

Significance

• Agricultural and Water Resource Significance:
  • The Northeast Monsoon is crucial for replenishing water supplies in regions that receive less rain during the Southwest Monsoon.
  • Typically witnesses at least three cyclonic disturbances over the Bay of Bengal each season.
• Ecological Impact:
  • Winter rainfall from this monsoon has enabled the development of dry evergreen forests along Tamil Nadu’s coastal areas.
  • The monsoon helps maintain ecological balance in southeastern regions.

Southwest vs Northeast Monsoon

Aspect	Southwest Monsoon	Northeast Monsoon
Season	June to September	October to December
Wind Direction	Southwest to Northeast	Northeast to Southwest
Moisture Source	Indian Ocean	Bay of Bengal
Regions Affected	Most of India	Southeastern Coast (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh)
Rainfall Intensity	Heavy Rainfall	Moderate Rainfall

Sir Benegal Narsing Rau

• Sir Benegal Narsing Rau was an Indian civil servant, jurist, diplomat, and statesman. He played a pivotal role as Constitutional Advisor to the Constituent Assembly in drafting India’s Constitution.
• He also served as India’s representative to the UN Security Council from 1950 to 1952. His UN tenure continued until he was appointed as a Judge of the International Court in The Hague.
• Bureaucratic and Judicial Career
  • In 1925, the Assam government appointed him to a dual position as Secretary to the Provincial Council and Legal Remembrancer.
  • He collaborated with Sir John Kerr to prepare recommendations on improving the functioning of provincial legislatures in India.
• Work on Government of India Act, 1935:
  • Upon returning to India in 1935, Rau worked with the Reforms Office of the Government of India on drafting the Government of India Act, 1935.
  • Sir Maurice Gwyer, the first Chief Justice of India’s Federal Court, suggested he gain five years of experience to qualify as a Federal Court judge.
• Judicial Service and Special Assignments:
  • He served as a judge on the Calcutta High Court, though his tenure was interrupted by special assignments.
  • He presided over a court of inquiry on wages and working conditions on Indian railways.
  • He worked with a commission focusing on reforms in Hindu law.
  • He chaired the Indus Waters Commission, which submitted a report on riparian rights in 1942.

• Role in Drafting the Constitution of India
  • Rau was appointed Constitutional Adviser to the Constituent Assembly in 1946.
  • He was responsible for designing the general structure of the democratic framework.
  • He prepared the initial draft in February 1948, which was debated, revised, and ultimately adopted on 26 November 1949.
• Rau assisted in drafting the early Constitution of Myanmar (Burma).
• Posthumous Honor: In 1988, on the occasion of his birth centenary, the Government of India issued a postage stamp in honor of Sir B.N. Rau.

Celestial Body – Chiron

Context: Astronomers observed ring formation around Chiron for the first time, marking a historic discovery of a ring system evolving in real time.

About Chiron

• Basic Information:
  • Designation: (2060) Chiron.
  • Classification: A centaur object — hybrid between an asteroid and a comet.
  • Orbit: Located between Jupiter and Neptune in the outer solar system.
  • Discovery: Discovered in 1977 by Charles Kowal; first-known centaur object.
• Physical Characteristics:
  • Size: Approximately 200 km in diameter.
  • Orbital Period: Takes about 50 years to complete one orbit around the Sun.
  • Composition: Primarily consists of rock, water ice, and organic compounds.
  • Activity: Exhibits occasional comet-like behavior such as gas and dust ejection.
• Ring System Discovery
  • Ring Structure:
    • Four rings have been identified around Chiron.
    • Three dense inner rings located at 273 km, 325 km, and 438 km from its center.
    • One diffuse outer ring situated about 1,400 km away.
    • Composition: Rings are made primarily of water ice and dust.
• Formation Mechanism:
  • Rings likely formed from a collision or debris ejected by Chiron itself.
  • Provides insights into ring evolution and small-body dynamics.
• Significance
  • Scientific Importance:
    • Offers a unique view of ring formation around small solar system bodies.
    • Helps astronomers understand disk dynamics, moon formation, and planetary evolution.
  • Comparative Understanding:
    • Chiron joins Chariklo, Haumea, and Quaoar as the only known small bodies with ring systems.
    • Expands understanding that ring formation is a universal process, not limited to giant planets like Saturn.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)

Context: At the National Health Authority (NHA) Conclave 2025 in Bhopal, Chhattisgarh was awarded the best-performing state for achieving near-zero claim pendency in PM-JAY implementation.

PM-JAY

• PM-JAY is a component of Ayushman Bharat.
• World’s largest government-funded health assurance scheme.
• Provides free secondary and tertiary healthcare to India’s poorest families.
• Launched: 23rd September 2018 in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
• Aim
  • Provide cashless and paperless access to quality healthcare for 12 crore vulnerable families (≈55 crore people).
  • Covers the bottom 40% of the Indian population.
  • Prevent catastrophic medical expenditure that pushes millions into poverty annually.

• Key Features
  • Coverage:
    • ₹5 lakh annual health cover per family on a family floater basis.
    • No limit on family size, age, or gender.
  • Treatment:
    • Cashless treatment across public and private empanelled hospitals nationwide.
    • Covers 1,929 medical procedures including diagnostics, surgery, implants, ICU, and medicines.
  • Hospitalization Care:
    • Includes 3 days of pre-hospitalization and 15 days of post-hospitalization care.
  • Other Features:
    • Portability: Benefits can be availed at any empanelled hospital across India.
    • Pre-existing diseases covered from day one.
    • Fully funded by Government — cost shared between Centre and States.
• Beneficiaries
  • Based primarily on SECC-2011 data.
  • Expanded to include senior citizens aged 70+ years.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki

Context: Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano erupted, spewing volcanic ash up to 10 km into the sky, prompting authorities to raise the alert to the highest level.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki

• An active stratovolcano (composite cone).
• Part of the twin-peaked Lewotobi volcanic complex.
• Its counterpart is Lewotobi Perempuan (“female”).
• “Laki-laki” literally means “male” in Indonesian.
• Location:
  • Situated on the island of Flores, in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia.
  • Approximately 30 km southeast of Maumere city.
  • Lies within the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, a tectonically active belt known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
• Geological Origin
  • Formed through subduction processes along the Sunda–Banda Arc.
  • The Indo-Australian Plate is being forced beneath the Eurasian Plate, generating intense volcanic activity in the region.
• Key Features
  • Type and Structure:
    • Type: Stratovolcano (composite cone).
      • Produces explosive eruptions, pyroclastic flows, and ash plumes.
    • Twin System: Forms the Lewotobi complex with summit craters less than 2 km apart.
• Elevation: Approximately 1,584 metres (5,197 ft) above sea level.