Current Affairs for 14 November 2025

Ramsar Convention

Why in Discussion ?

• Recently, several new wetlands in India have been designated as “Ramsar Sites.”
• With these additions, India now has a total of 94 Ramsar Sites.

About the Ramsar Convention

The Ramsar Convention (1971) is an intergovernmental treaty aimed at the conservation and wise use of wetlands.

• Adopted in Ramsar, Iran, and came into force in 1975.
• The Convention defines “wise use” as the sustainable utilization of wetlands while maintaining their ecological character, emphasizing ecosystem-based management for sustainable development.

Ramsar List

The Convention identifies wetlands of international importance that meet at least one of the nine criteria, such as:

• Providing habitat for threatened or endangered species
• Conserving important ecological systems
• Supporting large populations of waterbirds

Major Ramsar Sites in India

First Ramsar Sites (1981):

• Chilika Lake (Odisha)
• Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan)

Newest Ramsar Sites (2025):

• Gokul Reservoir (Buxar, Bihar) – 93rd Ramsar Site
• Gogabeel Lake (Katihar, Bihar) – 94th Ramsar Site

Wetland City Accreditation (WCA-29): India has two Wetland-Friendly Cities:

• Indore
• Udaipur

Montreux Record:

• A list of Ramsar Sites where ecological character is at risk due to human activities, pollution, or infrastructure development.
• In India:
  • Loktak Lake (Manipur)
  • Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan)

Importance of the Ramsar Convention

1. Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Wetlands are directly linked to:
   • SDG-6: Clean Water and Sanitation
   • SDG-13: Climate Action
   • SDG-14/15: Biodiversity Conservation: Wetlands help in water quality maintenance, groundwater recharge, flood control, food security, and climate resilience.
2. Scientific Research and Data Sharing The Convention promotes:
   • Collaborative research
   • Wetland management training
   • Data and best practice exchange
     → Strengthening conservation strategies
3. International Cooperation
   • Provides financial and technical support to communities dependent on wetlands (e.g., fishing and agricultural communities).
4. Balancing Ecology and Human Development
   • Recognizes the interdependence of nature and society
   • Integrates conservation with socio-economic development

Key Challenges

1. Implementation Gaps: Many member countries are reluctant to fulfill obligations such as:
   • Reviewing national laws
   • Transparent reporting
   • Data sharing
2. Ambiguity
   • Terms like wetland restoration and specific responsibilities are not clearly defined, hampering effective implementation.
3. Lack of Dispute Resolution Mechanism
   • No formal mechanism in the Convention for dispute settlement
   • Weakens compliance and accountability
4. National-Level Recognition and Protection Deficit Wetlands continue to face threats from:
   • Land-use change
   • Urbanization
   • Pollution
   • Illegal encroachments

Way Forward

1. Expand Regional and International Cooperation
   • Strengthen technical guidance, joint monitoring, and training programs among member countries.
2. Local Community Participation
   • Wetland conservation succeeds only when local communities, urban authorities, farmers, and fishers are active stakeholders.
3. Awareness and Social Consensus
   • Raising public awareness about wetlands is critical, as most damage occurs locally.
4. Monitoring and Environmental Assessment
   • Mandatory Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and regular monitoring for activities such as dredging, construction, forestry, and agricultural expansion.

Conclusion

Wetlands provide essential ecosystem services:

• Flood control
• Water purification
• Climate regulation
• Biodiversity conservation

These services reduce the cost of disaster management and water treatment, strengthening both local and national economies. The Ramsar Convention serves as a global platform for cooperation, scientific management, and sustainable use. For a biodiversity-rich country like India, it is crucial for water security, climate resilience, and biodiversity conservation.

Children’s Day & P. Jawaharlal Nehru

• In India, Children’s Day is celebrated annually on 14th November.
• This day is observed in honor of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.
• The United Nations has observed Universal Children’s Day on 20th November since 1956.
• After Nehru’s death in 1964, the Government of India decided to celebrate his birthday as Children’s Day.
• Since then, every year 14th November is celebrated as Children’s Day in India.

Jawaharlal Nehru:

• Born: 14 November 1889, Allahabad
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University
• 1912: Participated as a delegate in the Bankipur Congress Session
• 1919: Secretary of the Allahabad Home Rule League
• 1923: General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC)
• 1928: Founded the ‘Indian Independence League’ and became its General Secretary
• Objective: To achieve complete independence from British rule
• 1929: President of the Lahore Session of Congress (Purna Swaraj Resolution)
• 1946: Head of the Interim Government
• 1947: First Prime Minister of independent India
• 1955: Awarded the Bharat Ratna
• Died: 27 May 1964
• Loved children dearly, earning him the nickname “Chacha Nehru”.

What is Children’s Day ?

Children’s Day, celebrated annually on 14th November in India, is a national occasion to promote children’s rights—education, health, safety, and overall development. The celebration is not just a day of fun, but also a reminder of society’s responsibility toward the welfare of children.

Why 14th November ?

• It is Jawaharlal Nehru’s birthday, who had a special love for children.
• Nehru believed that children are the future builders of the nation.
• Earlier, India also celebrated 20th November as Children’s Day, in line with the UN Universal Children’s Day and Declaration of Children’s Rights.
• Since 1964, India officially observes 14th November as National Children’s Day.

History

• Since 1956, the United Nations General Assembly has declared 20th November as Universal Children’s Day.
• Initially, India also organized awareness programs on this date.
• However, due to Nehru’s dedication to children, India decided to honor him by celebrating his birthday as Children’s Day.
• The main objective was to give national priority to children’s development and rights.

Objectives

The main objectives of celebrating Children’s Day are:

• To focus on children’s education, health, and human rights
• To encourage sports, creativity, and independent thinking
• To develop self-confidence, leadership skills, and social responsibility in children
• To remind society that: “Today’s children are tomorrow’s India.”

How is it Celebrated ?

• Schools organize drawing competitions, essay writing, sports events, plays, and cultural programs.
• Children are given gifts, awards, and sweets.
• In some schools, teachers symbolically take the role of students for the day.
• Government and non-government organizations run awareness programs on children’s safety, education, and rights.
• Media and social platforms share messages, stories, and inspirational thoughts about children.

Message for Us

• We must ensure every child has access to education, nutrition, safety, and affection.
• Children’s imagination, energy, and innocence make our society vibrant.
• This day reminds us that:

Investing in children is investing in the future.

• It should be celebrated not only as a festival but also as a commitment to the well-being and rights of children.

Conclusion

• Children’s Day symbolizes our commitment to the new generation of India.
• It emphasizes the importance of providing children with the right opportunities, a safe environment, and quality education.
• By empowering children today, India will be progressive, sensitive, and strong tomorrow.

Human–Wildlife Conflict (HWC): Definition, Situation in India, Causes, Impacts, and More

Human–Wildlife Conflict (HWC) is emerging as a major challenge worldwide for biodiversity conservation, human safety, and economic stability. In a biodiversity-rich country like India, where millions of people live near forested areas, incidents of HWC are on the rise.

What is Human–Wildlife Conflict ?

According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF): HWC occurs when interactions between humans and wildlife produce negative outcomes, such as:

• Loss of human life
• Damage to property or crops
• Killing of livestock
• Wildlife entering human settlements

Examples:

• In 2024, wolves attacked several children in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh.
• Elephants, leopards, tigers, monkeys, and nilgai damaging crops, homes, or livestock.

Situation of HWC in India

• In India, HWC mainly involves species like elephants, tigers, leopards, bears, monkeys, nilgai, and wolves.
• In 2022, 1,510 human deaths occurred due to wildlife attacks (Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India – 2022).
• Kerala recently declared HWC a state-specific disaster.
• Addressing HWC is primarily the responsibility of state and union territory governments.

Major Causes of HWC

(A) Ecological Causes

• Climate change / Seasonal variation: Rising temperatures and altered rainfall patterns force wildlife into new areas.
• Extreme weather events: For example, melting Arctic ice has increased human–polar bear conflicts.
• Habitat fragmentation: Disruption and shrinking of wildlife habitats.

(B) Anthropogenic / Human-Induced Causes

• Land-use changes, urbanization, and illegal encroachment.
• Expansion of agriculture and attraction of crops to wildlife.
• Conservation success increasing wildlife populations (e.g., tiger populations in Sundarbans reaching carrying capacity).

(C) Wildlife-Induced Causes

• Changes in animals’ life cycles (reproduction, foraging strategies).
• Altered migration patterns.
• Limited ability to adapt to new landscapes.

Impacts of HWC

1. Social / Psychological Impacts

• Fear, stress, and uncertainty
• Mental trauma in forest-adjacent communities

2. Economic Impacts

• Crop losses
• Livestock predation → financial losses
• Retaliatory killings of wildlife → adverse effects on biodiversity

3. Health Impacts

• Spread of zoonotic diseases (e.g., Nipah virus)

4. Ecological Impacts

• Disruption of predator-prey balance
• Habitat shrinkage due to human activity → threat to endangered species

Legal and Policy Framework

(A) Constitutional Provisions

• Forests and wildlife fall under the Concurrent List (List III) → responsibility shared by central and state governments

(B) Major Laws

• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
  • Protection of wildlife, plants, and habitats
  • Establishment of protected areas (PAs)
  • Strict penalties for offenses

(C) Policy Initiatives

1. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for HWC:
   • Human–Elephant Conflict
   • Human–Tiger Conflict
   • Human–Leopard Conflict
2. National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP) 2017–2035
3. National Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Strategy and Action Plan (2021–26)

Recent Technical and Behavioral Interventions

• Project RE-HAB (Reducing Elephant–Human Attacks Using Bees): Using beehives to keep elephants away from villages.
• GPS Collaring: Monitoring movements of elephants and tigers.
• Digital Databases: Hotspot mapping of conflict zones.
• Solar fencing / physical barriers: Crop protection
• Early-warning systems: SMS or app-based alerts

Way Forward

1. Science-Based Management
   • NWAP 2017–2035 emphasizes species-specific and region-specific strategies.
   • Scientific assessment of carrying capacity.
2. Community Participation
   • Leveraging local and tribal knowledge
   • Role of eco-development committees
   • Transparent crop compensation and insurance mechanisms
3. Technological Solutions
   • Drone-based monitoring
   • Smart fencing
   • Availability of hospitals and rescue centers
4. Better Land-Use Planning
   • Restoration of wildlife corridors
   • Scientific evaluation of urban and industrial expansion
5. Education and Awareness
   • HWC training in schools and panchayats
   • Practical guidelines for communities

Conclusion

Human–Wildlife Conflict is not limited to forest-adjacent communities. It is a multi-dimensional issue affecting India’s biodiversity, food security, economic stability, and public health. Effective mitigation requires a combination of:

• • Legal frameworks
  • Technological innovation
  • Community engagement
  • Scientific management

Reducing HWC can significantly contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG-13 (Climate Action) and SDG-15 (Life on Land).

How Election Vote Counting is Done

• On the day of counting, the strong room is unlocked in the presence of candidates or representatives from all contesting parties.
• The Returning Officer and the Election Commission's Special Observer are also present during this process and are the ones who open the lock.
  • The entire process is videographed.
  • Counting begins at 8:00 AM.
• The Returning Officer and his/her colleagues are the first to take an oath of secrecy in front of everyone.
• Before counting begins, all EVMs are checked in the presence of the Returning Officer.
• Candidates from political parties have the right to be present at the counting centers with their counting agents.
• Counting agents can observe the vote count.
• Only counting staff, the Returning Officer, security personnel, and agents are allowed inside the counting center.
• No candidate's agent is allowed to leave until the vote counting is complete.
• No one except those on duty is allowed to bring a mobile phone inside.
• Postal ballots are counted first.
• After the postal ballot counting begins, the EVM vote count begins 30 minutes later.
• The EVM control unit is brought to the counting table for counting.
  • This is monitored by CCTV cameras and videography.
• After placing it on the table, the unique ID and seal of each control unit are matched and then shown to each candidate's polling agent.
• After this, by pressing a button on the control unit, each candidate's vote appears next to their name in the EVM.
• EVMs, arranged in a row according to polling stations, record the total votes cast and then the votes received by different candidates.
• The EVM data from all polling stations is then combined.
• According to the Election Commission, after the EVM count is complete, the EVMs will be matched with the VVPAT slips.
• Each counting hall will have a dedicated VVPAT booth for this purpose.
• In the event of any dispute or technical glitch, it is the responsibility of the Returning Officer to immediately report the matter to the Election Commission.
• The Election Commission, taking cognizance of complaints from the Returning Officer, can either order the counting to continue, cancel the counting, and order a re-poll.
• If the counting is completed without any complaints or if no further instructions are issued by the Election Commission, the Returning Officer can announce the results.
• After the counting is complete, the EVMs are placed back in the strong room.
• According to the rules, EVMs must be kept in the strong room for 45 days after the counting, so that if any candidate demands a recount, the votes can be recounted after an official order.
• After this, the EVMs are sent to another location.