Why is it in the News?

Sudhir Kakar, a pioneering Indian psychoanalyst, author, and cultural critic, passed away on Monday at the age of 85.

What is Psychoanalysis?

• Psychoanalysis is a set of psychological theories and therapeutic methods that focus on the unconscious mind, as well as the role of repressed emotions and desires in shaping behavior and mental health.
• Developed by Sigmund Freud in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, psychoanalysis is based on the idea that many of our thoughts, feelings, and actions are influenced by unconscious motives and conflicts, often rooted in childhood experiences.
• Psychoanalysis has three core components:
  • A method of investigation of the mind and the way one thinks.
  • A systematized set of theories about human behavior.
  • A method of treatment for psychological and emotional issues.
• Key concepts in psychoanalysis include the id, ego, and superego (the structural model of the psyche), the Oedipus complex, defense mechanisms (such as repression, denial, and projection), and dream interpretation.
• During psychoanalysis therapy, a patient works closely with a therapist to explore and understand unconscious thoughts and feelings, often by discussing dreams, memories, and other experiences.
• The goal is to bring repressed emotions to the surface and address any underlying conflicts in order to alleviate mental distress and improve overall well-being.
• While psychoanalysis has had a significant influence on psychology and mental health treatment, it remains a controversial approach due to its lack of scientific rigor and emphasis on subjective interpretation.
• Nevertheless, many of its concepts have been adapted or integrated into other forms of therapy, and psychoanalysis remains an important part of the history and development of psychology.

Significance:

• It has profoundly impacted the fields of psychology and mental health treatment, as well as culture, literature, and the arts. Its significance can be understood through the following points:
• Foundational Role: Psychoanalysis provided a groundbreaking approach to understanding the human mind and behavior, shifting the focus from conscious experiences to unconscious mental processes.
• Influence on Psychology: Many concepts introduced by psychoanalysis, such as the unconscious mind, defense mechanisms, and the influence of early childhood experiences, have been adopted and adapted by various schools of psychology, including cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, and psychodynamic approaches.
• Therapeutic Approach: Psychoanalysis revolutionized the way mental health issues were treated, moving away from a purely medical model and emphasizing the importance of talking therapy in addressing psychological problems.
• Cultural Impact: The ideas of psychoanalysis have permeated culture, literature, and the arts, influencing our understanding of human motivations, relationships, and emotions. Concepts like Freudian slips, dream interpretation, and the Oedipus complex have become part of everyday language.
• Interdisciplinary Applications: The principles of psychoanalysis have been applied in fields beyond psychology, including sociology, anthropology, literature, and film studies.
• Despite criticisms and revisions, psychoanalysis remains a significant and influential theory that has shaped our understanding of the human mind and behavior.
• It continues to contribute to the development of psychological theories and therapeutic approaches, enriching our comprehension of mental health and human nature.

Why is it in the News?

The Gujarat government recently clarified that Buddhism and Hinduism must be considered as two separate religions for religious conversions in the state.

Why did the Gujarat Government Issue the Circular?

• The Gujarat government issued the circular to address an issue regarding the application process for converting from Hinduism to Buddhism.
• The circular, issued by the Home Department highlights that the proper procedures outlined in the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act (GFR Act) are not being followed.
• The circular points out that some offices are rejecting these conversion applications, arguing that under Article 25(2) of the Constitution, Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism are considered part of Hinduism.
  • Therefore, applicants are told they don't need permission for religious conversion.
• This interpretation refers to Article 25, which guarantees religious freedom.
  • Article 25(2)(b) allows laws for social welfare or reform for Hindus, which includes Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists.
  • Notably, the circular contrasts with a proposed 2006 amendment to the GFR Act, which suggested considering Jainism and Buddhism as part of Hinduism.
• However, the circular clarifies that, according to the GFR Act, Buddhism must be seen as a separate religion.

How does the GFR Act Govern Religious Conversions in Gujarat?

• The Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act (GFR Act) controls how people change their religion in Gujarat.
  • According to the state government, this law aims to stop religious conversion by offering rewards, using force, lying, or tricking people.
• One part of the law, Section 3, makes it a crime to force or persuade someone to change their religion, whether by using force, offering rewards, trickery, or arranging marriages.
• Another part, Section 3A, added in 2021, lets anyone who feels harmed or their relatives report these crimes to the police.
  • People who break Section 3 can be sent to jail for up to three years and fined up to Rs 50,000.
  • If the person affected is a woman, a child, or from certain communities, the punishment is harsher – up to four years in jail and a fine of Rs 1 lakh.
• For a religious conversion to be legal, Section 5 says the person leading the ceremony must get permission from the District Magistrate beforehand.
  • And the person who changes their religion must tell the District Magistrate afterward.
  • Not doing this can result in a one-year jail term or a fine of up to Rs 1,000.
• In 2021, the GFR Act was changed to include more rules.
• It now makes it a crime to change religion through marriage (Section 4A) and says marriages are void if one person converts before or after getting married (Section 4B).
• It also punishes people involved in organizations that unlawfully convert others (Section 4C). The accused now have to prove that the conversion was legal (Section 6A).

Why is it in the News?

The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to frame a policy within six months to replace heavy-duty diesel vehicles and replace them with BS VI vehicles, observing that the right to clean air is not the entitlement of people living in Delhi alone.

What are BS-VI Norms?

• Bharat stage (BS) emission standards are laid down by the government to regulate the output of air pollutants from internal combustion engines and spark-ignition engine equipment, including motor vehicles.
• The central government has mandated that vehicle makers must manufacture, sell and register only BS-VI (BS6) vehicles from April 1, 2020.
• The first emission norms were introduced in India in 1991 for petrol and in 1992 for diesel vehicles.
  • Following this, the catalytic converter became mandatory for petrol vehicles and unleaded petrol was introduced in the market.

What is the Difference Between BS4 and BS6? 

• Both BS-IV and BS-VI are unit emission norms that set the maximum permissible levels for pollutants that an automotive or a two-wheeler exhaust can emit.
  • Compared to the BS4, BS6 emission standards are stricter
  • Whereas makers use this variation to update their vehicles with new options and safety standards, the biggest modification comes in the permissible emission norms.

What area unit BSI, BSII, BSIII, BSIV, and BSVI emission norms?

• The abbreviation BS refers to ‘Bharat Stage’.
  • It is prefixed to the iteration of the actual emission norms.
  • The primary rules with the soubriquet Asian nation 2000 were introduced in the year 2000, with the second and third iterations being introduced in 2001 and 2005 with the soubriquet BSII (BS2) and BSIII (BS3), respectively.
• The fourth iteration, BSIV, was introduced in 2017 and therefore the delay between the introduction of BS3 and BS4 resulted in fast-tracking the BSVI or BS6 emission norms rather than BSV (BS5) norms.
  • On 29 April 1999, the Supreme Court of India ruled that all vehicles in the country had to meet Euro I or India 2000 norms by June 1, 1999, and Euro II would be mandatory in the National Capital Region (NCR) from April 2000.
    • Carmakers were not prepared for this transition and in a subsequent judgment, the implementation of Euro II was deferred.
• In 2002, the government accepted the report submitted by the Mashelkar committee, which proposed a road map for the rollout of Euro-based emission norms in India.
  • It also recommended a phased implementation of future norms, with regulations being implemented in major cities first and extended to the rest of the country after a few years.
• Based on the recommendations of the committee, the National Auto Fuel policy was announced officially in 2003.
  • The road map for the implementation of the BS norms was laid out in 2010.
  • The policy also created guidelines for auto fuels, reduction of pollution from older vehicles and R&D for air quality data creation and health administration.
• The standards and the timeline for implementation are set by the Central Pollution Control Board under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• Since October 2010, Bharat Stage (BS) III norms have been enforced across the country.
• BS-IV emission norms were put in place in 13 major cities from April 2010, and the entire country from April 2017.
• In 2016, the government announced that the country would skip the BS-V norms altogether and adopt BS-VI norms by 2020.

Why is it in the News

MoEF&CC has submitted three nominations from India for Wetland City Accreditation (WCA) of Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) & Udaipur (Rajasthan) under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

What is Wetland City Accreditation (WCA)?

• Recognizing the importance of wetlands in urban and peri-urban environments and to take appropriate measures to conserve and protect these wetlands, the Ramsar Convention during COP12 held in the year 2015 approved a voluntary Wetland City Accreditation system under Resolution XII.10.
  • It recognizes cities which have taken exceptional steps to safeguard their urban wetlands.
• The Wetland City Accreditation scheme aims to further promote the conservation and wise use of urban and peri-urban wetlands, as well as sustainable socio-economic benefits for local populations.
• Additionally, the Accreditation seeks to encourage cities that are close to and dependent on wetlands.
  • Primarily Wetlands of International Importance, but also wetlands with other conservation category status, to develop and strengthen a positive relationship with these valuable ecosystems.
• To be formally accredited, a candidate for the Wetland City Accreditation should satisfy the standards used to implement each of the six international criteria mentioned Operational Guidance for WCA of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
• This voluntary scheme provides an opportunity for cities that value their natural or human-made wetlands to gain international recognition and positive branding opportunities for their efforts in demonstrating strong positive relationships with wetlands.
• The ongoing Amrit Dharohar initiative of the MoEF&CC announced as part of this year’s budget also aims to achieve similar goals by promoting unique conservation values of Ramsar Sites.
  • In this context, WCA will not only generate public awareness about conservation of urban and peri-urban wetlands but will also help in implementation of Amrit Dharohar across the country.

The Three Nominated Cities Include:

• Indore: Founded by Holkars, Indore is the cleanest city in India and the recipient of India’s Smart City Award 2023 for its best sanitation, water and urban environment.
  • Sirpur Lake, a Ramsar Site in the city, has been recognised as an important site for water bird congregation and is being developed as a Bird Sanctuary.
  • A strong network of more than 200 wetland mitras is engaged in bird conservation and sensitising local community to protect Sarus Crane.
• Bhopal: One of the cleanest cities in India that has proposed conservation zones around the wetlands in its draft City Development Plan 2031.
  • Bhoj Wetland, Ramsar Site is the city’s lifeline, equipped with the world-class wetlands interpretation centre, Jal Tarang.
  • Additionally, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation has a dedicated Lake Conservation Cell.
  • A network of more than 300 wetland mitras is engaged in wetland management and conservation of Sarus Crane.
• Udaipur: Located in Rajasthan, the city is surrounded by five major wetlands, namely, Pichola, Fateh Sagar, Rang Sagar, Swaroop Sagar, and Doodh Talai.

These wetlands are an integral part of the city’s culture and identity, help maintain the city’s microclimate, and provide a buffer from extreme events.

Why in the News?

The Manipur Forest Department will conduct the first-ever Amur falcon census. This initiative in India is one of the several programs the agency is running to safeguard migrating birds.

About Amur Falcon:

• The Amur Falcon, a diminutive member of the falcon family locally known as Akhuipuina, predominantly frequents Manipur and Nagaland.
• Originating from southeastern Siberia and northern China, these birds embark on extensive migrations in vast formations to winter in Southern and East Africa, covering a one-way journey of approximately 20,000 km through India twice a year.
• In terms of conservation, the Amur Falcon is safeguarded by the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, listed under Schedule IV.
• Hunting or possession of its meat is subject to legal repercussions, including imprisonment for up to three years, a fine of up to 25,000, or bonds.
• Initiating a conservation effort in 2018, the forest department employed radio tagging to study the birds' migratory routes.
• As per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Amur Falcon is categorized as "Least Concern."
• Despite this, the species faces threats such as illegal trapping and killing during migration, along with habitat loss due to agricultural practices and land reclamation.

Why in the News?

A team of researchers and the forest department have found a rare bioluminescent mushroom in the Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary (KKWLS).

About Mycena chlorophos:

• Mycena chlorophos is a species of bioluminescent fungus, meaning that it can produce its light.
• It is primarily found in subtropical Asia, including India, Japan, Taiwan, Polynesia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka, as well as in Australia and Brazil.
• The bioluminescence is produced through a chemical reaction that involves luciferin, a light-emitting molecule, and the enzyme luciferase.
• Luciferase catalyzes the oxidation of luciferin, which produces light.
• The luciferin in Mycena chlorophos is a compound called trans-3-hydroxyhispidin.
• This compound is also found in other bioluminescent fungi, such as Neonothopanus nambi and N. gardneri.
• The bioluminescence of Mycena chlorophos is thought to serve several functions.
• It may help the fungus to attract insects, which can help to disperse its spores.
• It may also help the fungus to ward off predators.

What is Bioluminescence?

• It is the ability of living organisms to emit light.
• It occurs due to a biochemical reaction between luciferins, oxygen, and the enzyme luciferase.
• The benefit of bioluminescence in fungi is to attract insects to facilitate their spore dispersal.

Why in the News?

In a first-of-its-kind, over 50 grass species were identified during a  two-day workshop and survey on ‘Grasses Identification and Grassland Management’ at the Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary in the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR).

About Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Location: It is located in the Kurnool & Prakasam of Andhra Pradesh with an area of 1194 sq km.
• Located between two important hill passes known as "Mantralamma kanuma" and "Nandi kanuma".
• The Northern part of this Sanctuary forms a major part of the Southern boundary for Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve.
• River: The Gundlakamma River stretches across the sanctuary.
• It also has many, mesic sites and ancient rock formations.
• Indicator Species: Tiger, Panther, Wild dog, Bats, Fig trees.
• It was declared a wildlife sanctuary on September 18, 1990.
• Forest Type: Dry mixed deciduous forest, moist dry deciduous, semi-evergreen, dry deciduous scrub forest and dry savannahs.
• Flora: The forest is an adobe to medicinal plants of which 10 are critically endangered, 21 are Endangered and 27 species are vulnerable.
• The plants like Madhuca longifolia, Dellenia pentagyna, Aristolochia indica, Terminalia arjuna, Pithecolobium ducle, Adina cordifolia, Vanda spp; etc; thrive here.
• Fauna: Wildlife like Tiger, Leopard, Flying squirre. angur, jungle cat, panther, tiger, mouse deer, hyena, bonnet monkey etc; are found here.