Current Affairs 10-JAN-2024 (The Hindu)

WeB Blocking

D => Pg-14)

WeB Blocking

Increase in Blocking

• 62 blocking orders in 2013
• October 2023 - 6,954.
• Orders issued under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Section 69A

• Section 69A of IT Act - permits the government to block online content.
• Concerns India's sovereignty, defence, security, foreign relations, public order, or to prevent certain offenses.

Reasons

• Rise in blocking orders aligns with increased Internet use.
• Drop in mobile data prices in 2016.
• These orders are directed at specific pages, profiles, or videos on social media.
• IT Ministry declined to provide detailed statistics.

Process

• Department of Telecommunications (DoT) directed Internet service providers (ISPs) to compile IP addresses of servers.
• Technological advancements in encryption have made website blocking more challenging.
• As a single IP address can be linked to numerous websites.
• Collaboration with content delivery networks (CDNs) might offer a more effective approach.
• 2023 December – DoT ordered to trace web server’s locations for blocking purposes.

Practice Question – Prelims

Which governmental body in India is responsible for issuing directives to Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

regarding website blocking and compiling Internet Protocol (IP) addresses?

(a) Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY)

(b) Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

(c) Department of Telecommunications (DoT)

(d) Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)

Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project

C => Pg-13)

Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project

• Multi-purpose irrigation project
• Godavari River.
• Kaleshwaram, Bhupalpally District in Telangana.
• Starts at the confluence point of Pranahita River and Godavari River.

Purpose

• Irrigation
• Transport
• Power

Significance

• Longest underground irrigation tunnel in the world.
• Water for irrigation and drinking across 45 lakh acres in 20 out of 31 districts.

Benefits

• Providing drinking water and irrigation to underdeveloped areas in Telangana.
• Restoring the groundwater level.
• Project will aid Mission Kakatiya and Mission Bhagiratha.

Practice Question – Prelims

In which river basin does the Kaleeshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) primarily operate?

(a) Krishna River Basin

(b) Godavari River Basin

(c) Narmada River Basin

(d) Mahanadi River Basin

Project Tiger

C => Pg-10)

Project Tiger

• Launched on 1st April 1973
• Aim - To promote conservation of tiger.
• Launched by PM Indira Gandhi from the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand.
• Centrally Sponsored Scheme
• Nodal Ministry - Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Implementing agency - National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

Objectives

• Ensure - Maintenance of a viable population of tigers.
  • Scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values.
• Preserve areas of biological importance.

Functions of the Project Tiger

• Reserves - created & functioned on a core/buffer strategy.
  • Core areas - Legal status of a national park or sanctuary in India.
• Buffer areas are the regions of periphery.
  • Combination of both forest and non-forest lands.
  • People-centric approach - Balance both conservation and development.
• To conduct the tiger census in the country.
• Combats poaching

Achievements of Project Tiger

• Increased population.
  • Number of tigers in India has increased from 1827 (1970s) to around 2967.
  • 30% rise in the population in the last eight years.
• Increased coverage.
  • Initially - 9 tiger reserves covering 18,278 sq km in 9 states.
  • Currently - 54 tiger reserves spread over more than 75,000 sq km in 18 tiger range states.
• India - achieved TX2 goal in 2018.
  • TX2 aim - Doubling wild tiger population by 2022.

Previous Year Question - 2020

Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat”?

(a) Corbett

(b) Ranthambore

(c) Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam

(d) Sundarbans