Siphon-Powered Desalination

Source: PIB

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a siphon-powered desalination system that converts seawater into clean drinking water rapidly and at low cost.

What is Siphon-Powered Desalination?

• A thermal desalination system that uses the siphon principle to continuously draw seawater, evaporate it, and then condense it into potable water.
• Developer: Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.

How does it work?

• Composite siphon: Fabric wick + corrugated metallic surface draws seawater.
• Gravity flow: Removes salt before it accumulates.
• Thin film evaporation: Water spreads on heated metal and vaporizes.
• Ultra-narrow air gap: At just 2 mm distance, vapor condenses on the cooler surface.
• Multistage stacking: Multiple evaporator–condenser pairs reuse heat, enhancing efficiency.

Key Features

• Efficiency: Produces over 6 liters of drinking water per square meter per hour under sunlight (several times more than traditional solar stills).
• Materials: Low-cost — aluminum and fabric.
• Energy use: Operates on solar energy or waste heat; fully suitable for off-grid use.
• Durability: Can handle highly saline water (up to 20% salinity) without clogging.
• Scalable and sustainable: Suitable for villages, disaster-hit areas, island nations, and coastal regions.

Significance

• Water security: Helps address drinking water shortages in water-scarce and off-grid regions.
• Innovation milestone: Solves the long-standing problem of salt buildup and scaling in solar desalination.
• Sustainable development: A low-cost, eco-friendly solution aligned with SDG-6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

India’s Dairy Sector

India continues to hold the top position in global milk production, contributing nearly 25% of the world’s supply.
The dairy sector contributes 5% to India’s GDP and provides employment to over 80 million farmers. Over the past decade, milk production has increased by 63.56%.

• Milk production rose from 146.3 million tonnes (2014–15) to 239.3 million tonnes (2023–24), recording an annual growth rate of 5.7%.
• Per capita availability increased by 48%, reaching 471 grams per person per day (significantly higher than the world average of 322 grams).
• Animal productivity increased by 27.39% — the highest globally, supported by schemes like the National Gokul Mission.
• Women’s role: Around 70% of the workforce are women. More than 48,000 women-led dairy cooperatives are driving inclusive growth.
• Technology adoption: Over 56.5 million artificial insemination (AI) procedures have been carried out, with more than 38,000 MAITRIs deployed. IVF, sex-sorted semen, and progeny testing have modernized dairy genetics.
• White Revolution 2.0: Aims to establish 75,000 new dairy cooperatives, ensure sustainability, and achieve 1,007 lakh kg/day milk procurement by 2028–29.

Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan

Source: The Hindu (TH)

The Prime Minister of India welcomed Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace proposal, calling it a pathway to long-term peace in West Asia.
The plan emphasizes an immediate ceasefire, release of hostages, and reconstruction of Gaza, with support from Arab and Western leaders.

What is Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan?

• It is a diplomatic framework aimed at ending the 2023–25 Israel–Hamas war through ceasefire, disarmament, and reconstruction.
• It envisions developing Gaza as a “New Gaza” special economic zone, placed under international supervision until reforms in Palestinian governance are achieved.

Key Features

• Immediate ceasefire: Israel will halt military action if Hamas agrees; battle lines will remain fixed for stability.
• Hostage–prisoner exchange: Hamas will release all hostages (alive and dead) within 72 hours; in return, Israel will release over 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
• No forced displacement: Palestinians will not be expelled from Gaza, ensuring demographic and human rights protection.
• No role for Hamas: Hamas will have no part in future governance; members who disarm will get amnesty or safe passage abroad.
• Board of Peace: An international body, led by Trump and Tony Blair, will oversee Gaza’s governance and reconstruction.
• International stabilization force: A multinational force (with Arab participation) will maintain peace and train Palestinian police.
• Economic zone: Gaza will be transformed into a special economic hub, with trade privileges and aid-based reconstruction.
• Conditional Palestinian statehood: Provides a “political possibility” of statehood, contingent on reforms in the Palestinian Authority (PA) and security guarantees.

Positive Aspects

• Ceasefire mechanism: Immediately halts war, protecting civilian lives and property.
• Hostage resolution: Addresses the humanitarian crisis, building mutual trust.
• Regional support: Backing from Arab nations, the European Union, and India lends multilateral legitimacy.
• Reconstruction plan: Prioritizes rebuilding homes, infrastructure, and the economy.
• Global monitoring: International oversight reduces mistrust and increases accountability.

Challenges

• Hamas acceptance: Radical factions may refuse disarmament or exclusion from power.
• Israeli skepticism: Israel remains concerned about security loopholes and the Palestinian Authority’s administrative capacity.
• Implementation hurdles: Monitoring ceasefire, prisoner swaps, and aid distribution are complex.
• Political fragility: Deep divisions between Hamas and the PA may stall governance.
• Statehood ambiguity: The plan lacks a clear timeline for Palestinian sovereignty, risking dissatisfaction.

The Way Forward

• Consensus building: The US, UN, and Arab nations must jointly pressure both sides.
• Strong monitoring: UN agencies and Arab monitors should ensure transparency in aid distribution and ceasefire enforcement.
• Inclusive reforms: Strengthening the Palestinian Authority and involving civil society are essential for legitimacy.
• Linking with two-state solution: Gaza’s development must be tied to progress towards a viable two-state solution.

Conclusion

The Gaza Peace Plan represents a rare diplomatic opportunity but remains fragile without Hamas’s compliance and Israel’s security assurances.
For durable peace, it must evolve into a just pathway towards Palestinian statehood.
Balancing humanitarian relief, reconstruction, and political reforms is the only way forward to achieve lasting peace in West Asia.