Moyar Valley

Moyar valley is the home of critically endangered Gyps Vulture.

• Other name – It is also known by the name Maayar (Invisible River) valley.
• Location – It extends from Gudalur through the core area of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.
• Biome – The valley is an important biome in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, sheltering several vital species like tiger and elephant and the critically endangered Gyps vulture.
  • A biome is an area classified according to the species that live in that location.

• It is the only region in peninsular India which has the biggest nesting colony of Gyps vultures in the wild.

• NSAIDs – The region provides a stable food-chain to nature’s scavengers, simply because these carcasses are mostly free from Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other poisonous chemicals.

• Resident Vultures of Moyar Valley – White Rumped vultures, Long Billed vultures, Red Headed vultures, and Egyptian vultures.

Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management Programme (FARM)

Ecuador, India, Kenya, Laos, Philippines, Uruguay, and Vietnam have joined forces to launch a $379 million initiative in order to reduce the environmental impact of the agricultural sector.

• Led by – FARM is led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) with financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

• Highly hazardous pesticides and agricultural plastics release toxic persistent organic pollutants (POPs), chemicals which don’t break down in the environment and contaminate air, water, and food.

• Tenure – 5 years.
• Objective – FARM programme will support government regulation to phase out POPs-containing agrochemicals and agri-plastics and adopt better management standards.
• FARM will also strengthen banking, insurance and investment criteria to improve the availability of effective pest control, production alternatives and trade in sustainable produce.

Vitamin D

An 89 year old resident in the UK died as due to overdose of vitamin D.

• Vitamin D also referred as calciferol is a fat-soluble vitamin.

• Sources – Sunlight exposure triggers vitamin D synthesis in the skin, making it the primary natural source.
• Foods rich in vitamin D, including fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel, as well as fortified dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese.
• Eggs, mushrooms exposed to sunlight, and fortified plant-based milk alternatives are also sources.

• Role of Vitamin D – Crucial role in maintaining overall health by regulating calcium and phosphorus absorption, supporting bone health, and modulating immune function.
• It helps promote strong bones and teeth, reduces the risk of osteoporosis, and supports muscle function.
• Vitamin D is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties and may contribute to reducing the risk of certain chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, and some cancers.
• Vitamin D Toxicity – When one consumes too much of these supplements, it might lead to vitamin D toxicity or hypervitaminosis.
• Hypercalcemia or high amounts of calcium, is a direct consequence of high level of Vitamin D in the body.
• Symptoms of hypercalcemia may include confusion, disorientation, excessive thirst, frequent urination, and kidney damage.

• Symptoms – In its early stages, symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, and weight loss.

• Treatment – Treatment of vitamin D toxicity primarily involves stopping vitamin D supplementation and limiting dietary sources of vitamin D.
• In severe cases of hypercalcemia, medical interventions such as intravenous fluids, diuretics, or medications to lower calcium levels may be necessary. 
• Ideal amount – The ideal amount of vitamin D in a human body should be 10 micrograms per day.
• For most adults, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin D ranges from 600 to 800 IU per day, with an upper limit of 4,000 IU per day to avoid toxicity.

Predicate Offence

The Delhi CM Kejriwal in Delhi excise policy case can be booked for the offence of laundering proceeds of crime derived from the case.

• The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) criminalises money laundering.
• According to PMLA, money laundering is defined as:
  • Whosoever directly or indirectly attempts to indulge in any process connected with the proceeds of crime, including its concealment, possession, acquisition shall be guilty of offence of money laundering.

• Proceeds of crime is any property derived directly or indirectly, by any person as a result of criminal activity relating to a scheduled offence.
• The law also defines scheduled offences, which are listed in two schedules attached to the PMLA.
• These acts in the schedules (scheduled acts) are also called predicate offences.

Predicate offence

• Predicate as an adjective means something said of a subject, originally from Latin praedicare meaning to proclaim or make known.
• Predicate offenses in money laundering refers to a crime component of a larger crime.
• In a financial context, the predicate offense would be any crime that generates monetary proceeds.
• The larger crime would be money laundering or financing of terrorism.
• A predicate offence is a crime that is a component of a more serious crime.
• For example, producing unlawful funds is the primary offense, and money laundering is the predicate offense.

Cases associated with Predicate Offence

• In a judgement in the Vijay Madanlal Choudhary & Ors v Union of India case, the Supreme Court upheld key provisions of the PMLA.
• The court had said that if an accused in the predicate offence is acquitted or discharged, he cannot be prosecuted for the offence punishable under the PMLA.
• The Supreme Court in Pavana Dibbur v Enforcement Directorate verdict, answered the question of, what if an accused is not even shown as an accused in any scheduled or predicate offence.
• The verdict said that an accused in the PMLA case who comes into the picture after the scheduled offence is committed, by assisting in the concealment or use of proceeds of crime, need not be an accused in the scheduled offence.
• Here, the proceeds of crime that the accused has allegedly concealed or possessed must simply be linked to the scheduled offence.
• Such an accused can still be prosecuted under PMLA so long as the scheduled offence exists, the court had said.

PSLV Orbital Experimental Module 3 (POEM 3) Mission

ISRO’s POEM 3 mission accomplishes zero orbital debris mission.

• The fourth stage of PSLV (PS4), also called the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) will perform orbital experiments.
• Since this is the 3rd time ISRO has used PS4 to exhibit orbital experiments, XPoSAT's PS4 is called POEM-3.
• The spent PS4 stage will be used to conduct in-orbit scientific experiments in microgravity conditions for an extended duration of 4-6 months.
• It derives power from the solar panels mounted around the PS4 tank and a Lithium-ion battery.
• POEM-3 is equipped with 10 payloads.

• Following the successful placement of all satellites into their designated orbits, the final stage of the PSLV was converted into a 3-axis stabilized platform known as POEM-3.
• This stage was then deorbited from an altitude of 650 km to 350 km, enabling an expedited re-entry process.
• The mission objectives of these payloads were met in a month.