Daily News Simplified - DNS

04 07 21
Notes
SL. THE HINDU
TOPICS
NO. PAGE NO.

1 Social structure differs in Asian and African elephants, find 10

researchers

2 Why did Tirath Singh Rawat have to resign? 06

3 Can reducing cess levies ease high fuel prices? 11

4 What lies ahead for Afghanistan after U.S. exit? 11

Date: 4-Jul-2021 DNS Notes - Revision

1. UPSC Current Affairs: Social structure differs in Asian and African elephants, find researchers| Page 10

UPSC Syllabus: Prelims - Environment

Despite the fact that they occupy similar ecological niches, the social structure of Asian elephants differs from
that of their African savannah counterparts. This is perhaps due to their differing habitats. It is important to
understand this and grasp the diversity of strategies that these endangered species might be adopting to survive.

A study has been conducted on Asian elephants by the members of the Evolutionary and Integrative Biology
Unit of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru. The researchers
used their field data from 2009-2014 based on observations made at the Nagarahole and Bandipur National
Parks.

 Asian elephants, in general, do not move in mixed groups consisting of males and females.

 Male Asian elephants spent only about 12% of their time in all-male groups as compared to 30-60% of
the time in African savannah elephants.

 Another important finding of the study is the restriction on male group size. The group had also found
a similar restriction on female group size in Kabini. This is important and suggests that the food
distribution is such that it limits large groups of elephants from feeding together. This may be because
of the differences in resource availability.

 While males met at random in the presence of females, the behaviour differed in their absence.

Ecological niche is a term for the position of a species within an ecosystem, describing both:

i. the range of conditions necessary for persistence of the species, and

ii. its ecological role in the ecosystem.

Ecological niche subsumes all of the interactions between a species and the biotic and abiotic environment, and
thus represents a very basic and fundamental ecological concept.

Importance of Niche

 Niche can help in identifying patterns of species diversity and composition in an ecosystem.
 As niche provides valuable information about all the factors responsible for the existence of a species, it
can play a vital role in the conservation of organisms.
 Due to unique niche possessed by different species, competition for resources can be avoided in a
community.
 Niche helps maintain stable coexistence of different species in a community.
 Segregation of species into niches also helps maintain an orderly and efficient functioning of the
ecosystem.
 Segregation of different species in a community according to their niches results in full exploitation of
all available resources.

Difference between niche and habitat

 The habitat of a species is like its ‘address’ (i.e. where it lives) whereas niche can be thought of as its
“profession” (i.e. activities and responses specific to the species).
 A niche is unique for a species while many species share the habitat.
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 No two species in a habitat can have the same niche. This is because of the competition with one
another until one is displaced.
 For example, a large number of different species of insects may be pests of the same plant, but they can
co-exist as they feed on different parts of the same plant.

Which one of the following terms describes not only the physical space occupied by an organism but also
its functional role in the community of organisms?

a) Ecotone
b) Ecological niche
c) Habitat
d) Home range

Ecological role of elephants

 Elephants create water holes as they dig dry riverbeds in dry environments and when droughts strike.
This not only allows the elephants to survive, but also provides water for other animals that share harsh
habitats.

 Elephants engineer ecosystems with the disruption caused by their movements and feeding behavior.
They frequently break off tree limbs and branches. This thins the canopy thereby allowing smaller tree
species and younger plants to access sunlight.

 When forest elephants eat, they create gaps in the vegetation. These gaps create pathways for other
smaller animals to use and co-exist.

 On the savannahs, elephants feeding on tree sprouts and shrubs help to keep the plains open and able to
support the plains game (antelope, giraffes,, baboon, ostrich etc) that inhabit these ecosystems.

 Wherever they live, elephants leave dung that is full of seeds from the many plants they eat. When this
dung is deposited the seeds are sown and grow into new grasses, bushes and trees, boosting the health
of the savannah ecosystem.

 Elephants consume a wide variety of foods and then deposit their nutrients throughout the forest when
they defecate. This helps keep the soil’s nutrient composition homogeneous.

o Elephants (and other large mammals) essentially act as the forest’s “arteries” by ensuring each
part of it is getting sufficient amounts of the nutrients necessary for plant growth and survival.

Possible repercussion of elephant population decline

 Elephant population declines will beget a shift in the forests’ plant community structure towards
species which don’t require animals’ assistance to reproduce.

 Smaller tree species will also become more prominent since large ones tend to have more durable seed
encasings.

 If forests have fewer large trees they will be less able to store carbon. This could have global
implications as unstored carbon will be released into the atmosphere and contribute to climate change.
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 Elephants’ feeding behavior selects for species that grow fast and quickly bypass the more vulnerable
stages of their life cycles. Without elephants there will likely be a shift towards slower growing
species that are shade tolerant. Ultimately, this will cause them to not grow as tall and have a lower
carbon storage capacity.

 Without elephants the forest’s soil would be less fertile which could lead to slow growing plants
becoming dominant.

 These effects will culminate in rainforests being less healthy and capable of supporting biodiversity.

2. UPSC Current Affairs: Why did Tirath Singh Rawat have to resign? | Page 06
UPSC Syllabus: Mains: Polity
Sub Theme: Parliamentary government

In the context of India, which of the following principles is/are, implied institutionally in the parliamentary
government? [ 2013]
1. Members of the Cabinet are Members of the Parliament.
2. Ministers hold the office till they enjoy confidence in the Parliament.
3. Cabinet is headed by the Head of the State.
Select the correct option:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
With the six-month window for him to get elected to the Assembly closing, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath
Singh Rawat put in his papers on July 2.
Mr. Rawat took over as Chief Minister on March 10, after being chosen by the BJP. As per the Constitution, he
had six months, till September 10, to become a member of the Uttarakhand Assembly in order to continue in
the post.
According to top EC officials, the Commission had not yet decided on holding the bypolls to various Rajya
Sabha and Assembly seats that are vacant across the country. The EC had to examine the COVID-19 situation
in the States before taking a call, a source said.
The Representation of the People Act, 1951, mandates that a bypoll for any vacancy should be held within six
months of that vacancy arising, provided the remainder of the term is not less than one year or the EC and the
Centre do not certify that holding the bypoll in that time frame is difficult.
With the Uttarakhand Assembly term till March 23, 2022, the Assembly election in the State is less than a year
away.
Uttarakhand does not have a legislative council, for which there is an indirect election and direct appointment
by the governor. It is the route that Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who took oath in
November 2019, opted for last year.
Date: 4-Jul-2021 DNS Notes - Revision

Article 164
(4) A Minister who for any period of six consecutive months is not a member of the Legislature of the State
shall at the expiration of that period cease to be a Minister
Article 75
(5) A Minister who for any period of six consecutive months is not a member of either House of Parliament
shall at the expiration of that period cease to be a Minister

Supreme Court interpretation of the article 164(4)

Har Sharan Verma v. Tribhuvan Narain Singh

The appellant challenged the appointment of the Chief Minister of U.P. who was not a Member of the legislature at
the time of his appointment. A five-Judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court interpreted Article 164(4) for the
first time. It was contended on behalf of the appellant that Article 164(4) applied only to a person who was already a
Minister but for some reason or the other ceases to be a Minister. Such person can continue for 6 months but there
cannot be an initial appointment of a non-Member of the legislature of a State as Minister. This contention was
negatived by the Constitution Bench. Chief Justice Sikri speaking for a unanimous Constitution Bench, observed as
follows:

Article 164(4) must be interpreted in the context of Articles 163 and 164 of the Constitution. Article 163(1) provides
that 'there shall be a Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor in the
exercise of his functions...

Under Article 164(1), the Chief Minister has to be appointed by the Governor and other Ministers have to be
appointed by him on the advice of the Chief Minister. They all hold office during the pleasure of the Governor.
Clause (1) does not provide any qualification for the person to be selected by the Governor as the Chief Minister or
Minister, but clause (2) makes it essential that the Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the
Legislative Assembly of the State. This is the only condition that the Constitution prescribes in this behalf.

The Constitution Bench referred to the proceedings in the Constituent Assembly wherein an amendment was
proposed, which read that a Minister shall, at the time of his being chosen as such, be a Member of the Legislative
Assembly or Legislative Council of the States as the case may be. This amendment was negatived by the Constituent
Assembly.

Article 175

Right of Governor to address and send messages to the House or Houses

(1) The Governor may address the Legislative Assembly or, in the case of a State having a Legislative Council,
either House of the Legislature of the State, or both Houses assembled together, and may for that purpose
require the attendance of members.

The Constitution Bench of SC has held that by virtue of Article 177, Ministers, even if they are not Members of the
Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council, would be entitled to be present at such a meeting.

S.R. Chaudhuri v. State of Punjab

The Supreme Court held that the privilege to continue as a Minister for 6 months without being an elected
Member is only a one-time slot for the individual concerned during the term of the Legislative Assembly
concerned.

3. UPSC Current Affairs: Can reducing cess levies ease high fuel prices?) | Page 11
UPSC Syllabus: Mains – GS Paper III – Economy
Date: 4-Jul-2021 DNS Notes - Revision

Sub Theme: Inflation

The rate of Inflation, as measured by CPI has increased to 6.3% in May 2021. The CPI has remained above the targeted
rate of inflation of 4%. The increase in rate of Inflation is not only putting additional burden on the people, but it
would also put economic revival in jeopardy.

One of the reasons for the higher rate of inflation is higher taxes on Petrol and Diesel. In this regard, the credit ratings
agency ICRA has called upon the Government to reduce the tax rates so as to reduce the inflation and push economic
growth.

Present tax regime on Petroleum Products

Presently, both the Central and State Government impose taxes on Petrol and Diesel. The Central taxes on Petrol and
Diesel include Basic Excise Duty, Special Additional Excise Duty, Road and Infrastructure Cess and Agriculture
Infrastructure and Development Cess. This comes to be around Rs 32.9 per litre of petrol and Rs 31.8 per litre of diesel.
Apart from these central taxes, even the state governments impose their own tax in the form of VAT. Hence, there is a
high incidence of Central and State taxes on Petrol and Diesel. These taxes alone account for almost around 60% of the
cost of the petrol and diesel.

Government's Tax policy towards Petroleum Products

Whenever there is decline in the international crude oil prices, the Central Government usually increases the tax rates.
That is why, in spite of decline in the international crude oil prices, we end up paying almost the same price for petrol
and diesel in India. We do not get the benefit of decline in the prices of crude oil. Rather, it is the government which gets
the benefit in terms of higher tax revenue. Such a government’s policy has a number of advantages:
1. The Higher Excise duty on Petrol and Diesel acts as an implicit carbon tax and nudges the economy to move
towards greener fuels.
2. Enables the Government to earn more revenue, which can be used later as buffer, in event of increase in crude
oil prices.
3. Enables the Government to raise revenue to undertake higher expenditure towards green energy projects.

Present Reasons for increase in the Petrol and Diesel

Last year, in 2020, the international crude oil prices were at all time low due to decline in the global demand due to the
Covid-19 pandemic. Hence, the Government had increased the taxes on the Petrol and diesel. Because of this, in spite of
fall in consumption of Petrol and Diesel, the overall revenue collected by the Centre had increased.
Now, in 2021, the prices of international crude oil prices have started increasing. But the Government has failed to cut
the tax rates. Hence, the prices of Petrol and Diesel have reached all-time high.

Impact of Increase in Petrol and Diesel

Petrol and Diesel are considered to be important inputs in our economy. They are not only used for the purpose of
transportation, but they are also used as raw materials in number of Industries. Hence, increase in their prices would
inevitably lead to increase in the rate of Inflation.

ICRA's Recommendations

If the Government keeps the tax rates unchanged, then it would be able to earn around Rs 3.6 lakh crores in 2021-22.
This is 40,000 crores higher than Rs 3.2 lakh crores which it earned in 2020-21. However, the higher tax rates would
further accentuate the Inflation and slowdown the economic revival. Thus, there is a need to cut the tax rates without
significant impact on Government's revenues. How should this be done??

Presently, due to the unlocking of the economy, demand for the mobility has increased. Economic revival is slowly taking
place. On account of these reasons, the demand for Petrol and diesel is set to increase. Hence, even if the Government
reduces the tax rates by a certain margin, the overall revenue would not be impacted much. (Higher consumption of
Petrol and Diesel--> Higher Tax revenue in spite of lower tax rate)
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Accordingly, ICRA believes that if the Government reduces the tax rates by around Rs 4.5 per litre, then it would still be
able to earn revenue of around 3.2 lakh crores, which was same as what it earned in the previous financial year.

3. UPSC Current Affairs: What lies ahead for Afghanistan after U.S. exit? | Page 11
UPSC Syllabus: Mains – GS Paper II – International Relations
Sub Theme: India - Afghanistan

Context: On July 2, U.S. troops departed from the Bagram Air Base that coordinated the 20-year-long
war in Afghanistan, effectively ending their military operations in the country. The exit is part of
President Joe Biden’s plan to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan by September 11. Ever
since the remaining U.S. troops began pulling out on May 1, the Taliban have made rapid territorial
advances. If the Taliban had controlled 73 of Afghanistan’s 407 districts before May 1, the number of
districts went up to 168 in two months, according to the Long War Journal.

Why did the U.S. invade Afghanistan?

 Weeks after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, U.S. President George W. Bush declared
war on Afghanistan. Mr. Bush said the Taliban regime had turned down his demand to hand
over al-Qaeda leaders, including Osama bin Laden, who plotted the attacks.

Why is the U.S. pulling back?

 The U.S. had reached the conclusion long ago that the war was unwinnable.
 In this regard, President Donald Trump appointed a special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay
Khalilzad, with a mandate to directly negotiate with the Taliban. Mr. Khalilzad and his team
held talks with Taliban representatives in Doha that led to the February 2020 agreement
between the U.S. and the insurgents. In the agreement, the Trump administration promised that
it would withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan by May 1, 2021. President Joe Biden
endorsed the Trump-Taliban deal, but pushed the deadline for withdrawal to September 11.

Why is India reaching out to the Taliban?

 This signals a late but realist acknowledgement from the Indian side that the Taliban would
play a critical role in Afghanistan in the coming years.
 India has three critical areas in dealing with the Taliban.
o Protecting its investments, which run into billions of rupees, in Afghanistan;
o Preventing a future Taliban regime from being a pawn of Rawalpindi;
o Making sure that the Pakistan-backed anti-India terrorist groups do not get support
from the Taliban. In the past, India chose not to engage the Taliban and the costs were
dear when the Taliban was in power. This time, New Delhi seems to be testing another
policy.

What are the future possibilities?

 So, there could be three scenarios, according to experts.
o One, there could be a political settlement in which the Taliban and the government
agree to some power-sharing mechanism and jointly shape the future of Afghanistan.
As of now, this looks like a remote possibility.
o Two, an all-out civil war may be possible, in which the government, economically
backed and militarily trained by the West, holds on to its positions in key cities and the
Taliban expand its reach in the countryside, while other ethnic militias fight for their
fiefs. This is already unfolding.
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o A third scenario would be of the Taliban taking over the country. Any nation planning
to deal with Afghanistan should be prepared for all three scenarios.