Prelim Booster

News Discussion
05-November-2021
 Global Methane Pledge
The Global Methane Pledge launched at the UN COP26 climate
conference in Glasgow has been signed by over 90 countries so far.

👉 About
◎ This pledge is an effort led jointly by the US
and the European Union.
◎ Purpose è It is essentially an agreement to
stop deforestation and cut down global
methane emissions by up to 30% from 2020
levels by 2030.
 Global Methane Pledge
◎ Signatories è Besides the EU and the US, more than 103 countries have
signed up so far, including major methane emitters like Nigeria and
Pakistan.
○ Among the signatories is Brazil - one of the five biggest emitters of
methane.
○ China, Russia and India have not signed up, while Australia has said it
will not back the pledge.
◎ Significance è Rapidly reducing methane emissions is complementary to
action on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
○ This is regarded as the single most effective strategy to keep the goal of
limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach.
 Global Methane Pledge
👉 Methane
◎ Methane is the second-most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere,
after carbon dioxide.
◎ Methane is more short-lived in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide but 80
times more potent in warming the earth.
◎ Methane accounts for about 20% of the heating effects by all of the
greenhouse gases combined.
◎ The UN says that 25% of the global warming is because of methane.
◎ Sources of methane include natural sources (40% of global methane
emissions) and human sources (60% of global methane emissions).
○ Natural sources à Emissions from wetlands and oceans, cows’
digestive systems, and from the digestive processes of termites.
 Global Methane Pledge
○ Human sources à Oil and natural gas systems (largest contributors to
human sources), landfills, agricultural activities, coal mining,
wastewater treatment, and certain industrial processes.
◎ Uses è Methane is flammable, and is used as a fuel worldwide. It is a
principal component of natural gas.
 Khasi Inheritance of Property Bill 2021
A district autonomous council in Meghalaya has announced that it
would introduce the ‘Khasi Inheritance of Property Bill, 2021’.

👉 About Provisions
◎ The proposed Bill is envisaged to provide the
“equitable distribution” of parental property
among siblings – both male and female.
◎ The Bill would let parents decide who they want
to will their property to.
◎ It would prevent a sibling from getting parental
property if they marry a non-Khasi and accept
the spouse’s customs and culture.
 Khasi Inheritance of Property Bill 2021
◎ If implemented, the proposed Bill would modify an age-old customary
practice of inheritance of the matrilineal Khasi tribe. Moreover, the Bill has
also brought into focus the practise of matriliny in Meghalaya.

👉 Matrilineal (मातव
ृ ंशीय) System of Inheritance
◎ The three tribes of Meghalaya — Khasis, Jaintias, and Garos — practise a
matrilineal system of inheritance.
◎ In this system, lineage and descent are traced through the mother’s clan.
In other words, children take the mother’s surname, the husband moves
into his wife’s house, and the youngest daughter (khatduh) of the family is
handed over the full share of the ancestral — or the clan’s — property.
 Khasi Inheritance of Property Bill 2021
◎ The khatduh becomes the “custodian” of the land and assumes all
responsibility associated with the land, including taking care of aged
parents, unmarried or destitute (बेसहारा) siblings.
◎ The khatduh cannot sell the property without the permission of her
mother’s brother (maternal uncle).
◎ Moreover, this inheritance tradition applies only to ancestral or
clan/community property which has been with the family for years. On the
other hand, the self-acquired property can be distributed equally among
siblings.
 Kameng river
Recently, Studies have indicated that landslides caused by an
earthquake of 3.4 magnitude close to the border with China led to
mass fish death in the Kameng river in Arunachal Pradesh.

👉 About
◎ It is the right-bank tributary of the
Brahmaputra river.
◎ It rises in the Tawang district in the
eastern Himalayas. It forms the border
between the East Kameng district and
the West Kameng district of Arunachal
Pradesh.
 Kameng river
◎ The Kaziranga National Park and the Pakkhui Wildlife Sanctuary are
located near the Kameng river.
 Y 12704 (Visakhapatnam)
Y 12704 (Visakhapatnam), the lead ship of Project 15B stealth guided
missile destroyers being built at Mazgaon Docks Limited (MDL), was
delivered to the Indian Navy.

👉 About
◎ The 163 metres long warship has a maximum
speed of 30 knots.
◎ The ship is amongst the largest destroyers
constructed in India.
◎ The overall indigenous content of the project
is approx. 75%.
 Y 12704 (Visakhapatnam)
👉 Project-15B
◎ Four Guided missile Destroyers of Project 15B (P 15B) are under construction at
M/s Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai. The contract for
construction of these four ships was signed in 2011.
◎ These ships are amongst the most technologically advanced Guided Missile
Destroyers of the world, with state-of-the-art weapon/sensor package,
advanced stealth features and a high degree of automation.
◎ Features of the P-15B Ships è
○ These ships are equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and
long-range Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAM).
○ The ship has several indigenous weapons systems like medium range
Surface-to-Air Missile (SAMs), indigenous torpedo tube launchers, anti-
submarine indigenous rocket launchers and 76-mm super rapid gun mount.
 Y 12704 (Visakhapatnam)
◎ Other Three Ships of Project 15B è The four ships are christened after major
cities from all four corners of the country viz. Visakhapatnam (Andhra
Pradesh), Mormugao, Imphal and Surat.
 Quick revision (True/False)

Question True / False

1. Global Methane Pledge -> effort led jointly by India and the European False
Union.

2. Methane -> is more long-lived in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. False

Khasis, Jaintias, and Garos -> practise a matrilineal system of True

3. inheritance.

4. Kameng river -> right-bank tributary of the Ganga river. False

15
15