History
Periyar, the social reformer of Tamil Nadu
- Early Life and Political Career
- Born Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy in 1879.
- Started as a Congressman but left due to disagreements over caste discrimination.
- Associated with the Justice Party and Self-Respect Movement, advocating against Brahmin dominance.
- Social Reforms
- Promoted self-respect, social equality, and women’s rights.
- Championed inter-dining and discarding caste suffixes.
- Criticized religious traditions and emphasized rational thinking.
- Dravidian Movement
- Redefined Tamil identity as egalitarian and free from caste.
- Advocated for an independent Dravida Nadu (Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada speakers).
- Legacy
- Considered “Thanthai Periyar” (Father Figure) of modern Tamil Nadu.
- His ideology emphasizes social justice, self-respect, and linguistic pride.
Geography
Gibraltar Arc, a dormant subduction zone
- Location and Significance
- Located beneath the Strait of Gibraltar, connecting Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea.
- Forms a natural boundary between Europe and Africa.
- Meeting point of Eurasian and African tectonic plates.
- Subduction and Potential Impact
- Currently dormant subduction zone (African Plate under Eurasian Plate).
- Potential to become active in millions of years.
- May reshape the Atlantic Ocean configuration.
- Comparison with other Subduction Zones
- Similar to Lesser Antilles Arc (Caribbean) and Scotia Arc (near Antarctica).
Economy
Income and Wealth Inequality in India
- Key Findings of the World Inequality Lab Report
- Rising inequality since the early 1980s, accelerating since the 2000s.
- Top 0.1% income share reached nearly 10% of national income in 2022.
- Top 1% income and wealth share at record highs (22.6% and 40.1% respectively).
- Wealth concentration within the top 1%:
- Top 0.01% share – 22%
- Top 0.001% share – 16%
- Decline in the bottom 50% income share since 1991 (from 11% to 6-7%).
- Potential regressiveness of India’s income tax system.
- Recommendations
- Restructure tax code to consider both income and wealth.
- Increase public investment in health, education, and nutrition.
- Implement a “super tax” on the wealthiest to generate revenue for social programs.
- Improve the quality of economic data collection.
Economy
Global E-waste Monitor (GEM) 2024 Report
E-waste Crisis
- E-waste: Electronic waste (old, discarded electronic devices).
- Environmental and health risks if not properly handled.
GEM Report
- Prepared by UN’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
Key Findings
- E-waste generation surged from 34 billion kg (2010) to 62 billion kg (2022).
- Expected to reach 82 billion kg by 2030.
- Only 13.8 billion kg formally collected and recycled (2022).
Reasons for E-waste Increase
- Faster technological advancements (shorter lifecycles).
- Higher electronic device consumption rates.
- Limited repair options for many devices.
- Growing electronification in various aspects of life.
- Inadequate e-waste management infrastructure.
Informal Recycling Sector
- Handles significant e-waste globally (high-income & low-income countries).
- Driven by lack of formal e-waste management systems.
Regional Disparities
- Europe leads in documented e-waste recycling (42.8%).
- Africa faces challenges (low recycling rate despite lower generation).
- Asia generates a large portion (30 billion kg) but limited progress in management.
Policy Adoption
- 81 countries have e-waste policies/regulations.
- 67 countries have Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for e-waste.
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