Legacy IAS — Bangalore
Daily Current Affairs • Monday, 17 February 2026
Daily Current Affairs
UPSC-oriented analysis with mind maps, governance dimensions, data, case laws & exam orientation
NGT Clears ₹92,000-Crore Great Nicobar Island Mega Project
Environment • Maritime Security • EIA Regime
Source: The Hindu
🧠 Mind Map — Great Nicobar Project
AIssue in Brief
- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) disposed of challenges to the 2022 Environmental Clearance (EC) for the ₹92,000-crore Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project, citing strategic importance and finding “no good ground to interfere”, while directing strict compliance with EC conditions.
- The project includes a transshipment port, international airport, power plant, and township on Great Nicobar Island; concerns raised include coral reefs, leatherback turtle nesting, and siting near ecologically sensitive zones.
📌 Relevance
GS 2 — Polity & Governance
Environmental governance, role of NGT, Centre–State–judiciary interface, transparency vs national security.
GS 3 — Environment, Infrastructure, Security
EIA regime, biodiversity conservation, coastal regulation, strategic infrastructure, maritime security (SAGAR, Indo-Pacific).
BWhat the NGT Held
- Relied on findings of a High-Powered Committee (HPC) to examine coral reefs, turtle nesting sites, and protected zones; found no error in Terms of Reference.
- Accepted the Union government’s position that HPC report contains strategic/defence-sensitive information; limited disclosure was considered justified.
- Emphasised a “balanced approach”—permit development at a strategic location while ensuring compliance with the Island Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2019 (ICRZ).
- Directed MoEFCC to ensure coral protection/regeneration and prepare an implementation plan; placed responsibility on MoEFCC to avoid shoreline erosion.
CConstitutional / Legal Dimension
- Article 48A & 51A(g): State and citizen duties to protect the environment.
- EIA Notification, 2006: Norm of three-season baseline data; deviation justified by the government on geomorphological grounds.
- Forest clearance issues are under Calcutta High Court scrutiny—illustrating multi-forum environmental adjudication.
- ICRZ 2019 provides the regulatory framework for coastal/island development with safeguards for fragile ecosystems.
DEnvironmental Dimension
- Biodiversity hotspots: Great Nicobar hosts tropical rainforests, coral reefs, mangroves, and endemic fauna; nearby habitats support leatherback turtles (critically endangered).
- Risks include habitat fragmentation, dredging impacts, turbidity affecting corals, and shoreline morphology changes.
- Proposed mitigation: coral transplantation/regeneration, controlled construction windows, and erosion management—effectiveness depends on scientific design and monitoring.
EGovernance / Administrative Dimension
- Strategic rationale: Location near major East-West shipping lanes enhances maritime logistics, SAGAR vision, and Indo-Pacific presence.
- Capacity challenge: Ensuring credible MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, Verification) for EC compliance over long project timelines.
- Transparency vs security dilemma: Limited disclosure can protect national interests but may weaken public trust and participatory governance.
FEconomic / Security Dimension
- Aims to position India as a regional transshipment hub, potentially reducing dependence on foreign ports and improving trade competitiveness.
- Infrastructure build-out could catalyse island connectivity, tourism, and employment, but requires cost–benefit realism given ecological externalities.
- Dual-use value (civil + defence logistics) strengthens the national security case.
GSocial / Ethical Dimension
- Concerns of local communities and indigenous groups regarding displacement, cultural impacts, and livelihood transitions.
- Ethical balance between national development and ecological stewardship; principle of inter-generational equity applies strongly in island ecosystems.
⚠ Key Criticisms / Gaps
- Baseline data adequacy (single-season EIA) contested; seasonality matters for marine ecology.
- Cumulative impact assessment across port, airport, township, and power plant may be under-specified.
- Carrying capacity of a small island system and disaster risks (cyclones, tsunamis) require robust modelling.
✅ Way Forward
- Establish independent scientific oversight panels for coral/turtle safeguards with public summaries (non-sensitive).
- Deploy real-time environmental monitoring (turbidity, reef health indices, shoreline change mapping via satellites).
- Phase construction with adaptive management triggers—pause/modify if ecological thresholds are crossed.
- Strengthen community consultation, benefit-sharing, and grievance redress.
- Integrate disaster-resilient design and strict waste/water management for island sustainability.
🎯 Exam Orientation
Prelims Pointers:
- NGT is a statutory body (NGT Act, 2010) for expeditious environmental justice.
- ICRZ 2019 governs coastal/island development norms.
- EIA 2006 typically requires multi-season data; exceptions may be argued case-specifically.
- Leatherback turtle: among the largest sea turtles; globally threatened.
Mains Practice Question (15 Marks):
“Strategic infrastructure in ecologically fragile regions requires a calibrated balance between national security and environmental sustainability.” Discuss with reference to the Great Nicobar project.
Separate Classification & Census Enumeration for DNTs
Social Justice • Census Policy • Affirmative Action
Source: The Hindu
AIssue in Brief
- The Union government has indicated that DNTs may be enumerated in the 2027 Census, but no clarity exists on methodology, prompting demands for a separate Census column for DNTs.
- DNT groups argue that without a distinct count and certification, their historical stigma, socio-economic deprivation, and policy invisibility will persist.
- Multiple commissions have reiterated that accurate identification and classification of DNTs is impossible without a dedicated Census count.
📌 Relevance
GS 1 — Society
Vulnerable communities, social exclusion, nomadic lifestyles, historical stigma.
GS 2 — Polity & Governance
Census policy, affirmative action, Art. 14/15/46, welfare targeting, role of commissions.
BWho are DNTs?
- DNTs are communities once notified as “criminal tribes” under the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871, which enabled registration, surveillance, and movement restrictions based on colonial stereotypes.
- The Act was repealed in 1952, leading to “denotification,” but several States introduced Habitual Offenders laws, continuing police scrutiny under a new label.
- Colonial logic tied “criminality” to caste and heredity, embedding deep social stigma that outlived formal repeal.
CEnumeration History
- “Criminal tribes” were explicitly enumerated in 1911 and 1931 Censuses; 1931 was the last Census with such data.
- Post-Independence, India moved away from caste enumeration (except SC/ST), and no dedicated DNT count was undertaken thereafter.
- The Idate Commission on DNTs (2017) identified ~1,200 DNT communities, noting most are placed within SC/ST/OBC lists, and ~268 communities remain unclassified.
- An Anthropological Survey of India study (for NITI Aayog) recommended classifications for the 268 groups, but the report remains unimplemented.
DCurrent Policy Status
- Many DNTs are included in SC/ST/OBC lists as “Vimukt Jatis,” enabling partial access to reservations.
- A dedicated welfare push exists via the SEED Scheme for DNTs (livelihood, education, housing, health) with a ₹200 crore outlay, but utilisation has been low.
- A major bottleneck is the non-issuance of DNT certificates across most States; only select districts in a few States issue them.
EConstitutional / Legal Dimension
- Article 14 & 15: Equality and affirmative action for socially and educationally backward classes.
- Article 46: Directive to promote educational and economic interests of weaker sections.
- Debate: Whether DNTs need a separate constitutional category or better targeting within SC/ST/OBC frameworks.
FSocial Justice Dimension
- Persistent stigma and police profiling linked to historical criminalisation.
- High levels of landlessness, mobility, low literacy, and poor access to welfare among many nomadic groups.
- Internal diversity: Some communities relatively advanced; others extremely marginalised, raising need for sub-classification.
GGovernance / Administrative Issues
- Lack of a uniform national list and definitions for DNTs complicates targeting.
- Overlap with SC/ST/OBC lists creates data ambiguity and duplication risks.
- Census design challenge: capturing mobile/nomadic populations without double counting or exclusion.
✅ Way Forward
- Conduct a time-bound national identification and enumeration exercise with clear definitions for DNT, NT, and SNT.
- Standardise and digitise DNT certification with Centre–State coordination.
- Improve SEED implementation via portable entitlements for mobile populations.
- Consider targeted sub-classification to address uneven backwardness.
- Invest in education, housing, and livelihood support tailored to nomadic lifestyles.
🎯 Exam Orientation
Prelims Pointers:
- Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 labelled certain communities as hereditary criminals; repealed in 1952.
- Many DNTs are today placed in SC/ST/OBC categories, but not all are classified.
- 1931 Census was the last to enumerate such communities.
Mains Practice Question (15 Marks):
“Historical stigma and data invisibility continue to shape the marginalisation of Denotified and Nomadic Tribes in India.” Discuss the need and challenges of their separate enumeration in the Census.
SC to Re-examine Legality of Ex Post Facto Environmental Clearances
Judicial Review • Precautionary Principle • EIA Framework
Source: The Hindu
AIssue in Brief
- The Supreme Court has agreed to re-examine the legality of “ex post facto” environmental clearance (EC) — granting EC after a project has already begun construction or operations.
- A three-judge Bench noted possible overlooking of earlier precedents and referred the matter to a larger Bench, signalling constitutional and environmental significance.
- The case arises from challenges to government actions that allowed retrospective regularisation of projects lacking prior EC.
📌 Relevance
GS 2 — Polity & Judiciary
Judicial review, constitutional environmentalism, role of SC.
GS 3 — Environment
Precautionary principle, EIA framework, sustainable development.
BWhat is Ex Post Facto EC?
- Ex post facto EC = environmental approval granted after project commencement, instead of prior clearance mandated under the EIA Notification, 2006.
- It effectively legalises violations, allowing projects to continue with penalties or additional safeguards.
- Critics argue it converts a preventive regime into a post-damage regulatory system.
CConstitutional / Legal Dimension
- Article 21: Right to life includes the right to a clean and healthy environment (SC jurisprudence).
- Precautionary Principle & Polluter Pays Principle are part of Indian environmental law (Vellore Citizens case).
- Earlier SC rulings (Common Cause v. Union of India) held ex post facto EC contrary to environmental jurisprudence, except in rare cases.
- Key legal question: Can administrative notifications dilute statutory environmental safeguards?
DGovernance Dimension
- Prior EC ensures impact assessment, public consultation, and mitigation planning before irreversible damage.
- Allowing post-facto approvals weakens regulatory credibility and deterrence.
- Raises concerns of moral hazard, where violators may proceed expecting later regularisation.
EEnvironmental Dimension
- Environmental damage (deforestation, pollution, biodiversity loss) is often irreversible or costly to restore.
- Post-facto clearances defeat the purpose of anticipatory environmental governance.
- Undermines India’s commitments under SDGs (12, 13, 15) and climate goals.
FEconomic Dimension
- Industry argues ex post facto EC avoids project shutdowns, sunk costs, and job losses.
- However, regulatory dilution may create long-term uncertainty and harm ESG credibility of Indian markets.
- Strong environmental rule of law improves investor confidence in the long run.
GEthical Dimension
- Conflict between developmental pragmatism vs environmental justice.
- Fairness issue: Law-abiding firms incur compliance costs while violators may be regularised.
- Inter-generational equity: future generations bear ecological costs of present violations.
⚠ Key Concerns / Criticisms
- Normalising violations weakens rule of law.
- Reduces incentive for timely compliance.
- Public participation becomes redundant if decisions are post-facto.
- Potential for regulatory capture.
✅ Way Forward
- Reaffirm prior EC as the norm; allow post-facto approvals only in exceptional, well-defined circumstances.
- Strengthen monitoring, digital compliance tracking, and penalties.
- Fast-track EC processes to reduce delays that push firms toward violations.
- Enhance capacity of State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAAs).
- Link violations to financial disincentives and restoration liabilities.
🎯 Exam Orientation
Prelims Pointers:
- EIA Notification 2006 mandates prior environmental clearance for listed projects.
- Precautionary Principle: Act to prevent harm even without full scientific certainty.
- Polluter Pays Principle: Polluter bears cost of remediation.
Mains Practice Question (15 Marks):
“Ex post facto environmental clearances undermine the preventive nature of environmental governance.” Critically examine in the context of India’s regulatory framework.
SC Refuses Stay on RTI Amendments Linked to DPDP Act
Privacy vs Transparency • Fundamental Rights Balance • Data Governance
Source: Indian Express
AIssue in Brief
- The SC refused to stay amendments affecting the RTI framework made through the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) and DPDP Rules, but agreed to examine the balance between privacy and transparency.
- Petitioners argue that changes to the RTI Act dilute access to information by expanding the scope of “personal information” exemptions.
- The Court flagged the matter as involving competing fundamental rights requiring a constitutional balancing exercise.
BWhat Changed?
- Amendment to Section 8(1)(j) of RTI Act: strengthens protection of “personal information,” limiting disclosure unless legally justified.
- Petitioners claim this creates a blanket-style restriction, weakening the earlier public interest override.
- Concern: Authorities may deny information citing privacy even in cases involving corruption, public office accountability, or misuse of public funds.
CConstitutional Dimension
- Article 19(1)(a): RTI flows from freedom of speech and expression (right to know).
- Article 21: Right to privacy recognised as fundamental in Puttaswamy (2017).
- Core question: How to balance RTI (transparency) vs Privacy (data protection) when both are fundamental rights?
- SC jurisprudence requires proportionality and necessity tests in such conflicts.
DGovernance Dimension
- RTI is a key pillar of accountable and participatory governance; dilution may reduce scrutiny over public authorities.
- Data protection law aims to build trust in the digital ecosystem and prevent misuse of personal data.
- Administrative challenge: PIOs must now interpret data protection + RTI together, raising compliance complexity.
EDemocratic / Institutional Impact
- RTI has historically exposed corruption, ghost beneficiaries, and policy lapses.
- Over-broad privacy exemptions risk creating a “culture of secrecy”.
- At the same time, unchecked disclosure can violate informational privacy and dignity.
FEthical Dimension
- Ethical tension between transparency in public life vs protection of individual dignity.
- Principle of minimum necessary disclosure: reveal what serves public interest, protect what is purely private.
- Fairness issue: Public officials’ actions in official capacity warrant higher transparency threshold.
✅ Way Forward
- Issue clear harmonisation guidelines clarifying when public interest overrides privacy.
- Define “personal information” narrowly for public officials in official roles.
- Capacity-building of PIOs on data protection–RTI interface.
- Develop a structured proportionality test checklist for disclosure decisions.
- Periodic parliamentary/judicial review to ensure RTI’s core is not eroded.
🎯 Exam Orientation
Prelims Pointers:
- RTI derives from Article 19(1)(a).
- Right to Privacy is a fundamental right under Article 21 (Puttaswamy).
- Section 8 of RTI Act lists exemptions from disclosure.
- DPDP Act 2023 governs processing of digital personal data.
Mains Practice Question (15 Marks):
“Data protection and transparency are both essential in a democracy but may conflict in practice.” Discuss how India should balance the Right to Information with the Right to Privacy.
GEAPP Launches India Grids of the Future Accelerator
Power Grid Modernisation • DISCOMs • Smart Grids • Energy Transition
Source: Down to Earth
AIssue in Brief
- Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) launched the India Grids of the Future Accelerator (2026) to strengthen digital, financial, and institutional capacity for large-scale renewable and storage integration.
- GEAPP committed up to $25 million by 2028, with a goal to unlock $100 million by 2030 through blended finance, aligning with Viksit Bharat 2047 and India’s clean energy transition.
- Supported by the All India DISCOM Association and the International Solar Alliance, with initial “champion utilities” in Delhi and Rajasthan.
BWhat the Initiative Targets
- Focus on modernising power distribution (DISCOMs)—the weakest link in India’s power value chain.
- Addresses rising demand from electrification, EVs, urbanisation, and industry while integrating variable renewables.
- Moves from pilot projects to platform-based systemic reform.
CCore Design — “D4 Framework”
- Digitalisation: digital twins, smart meters, advanced analytics for demand forecasting and loss reduction.
- Distributed Energy Resources (DERs): rooftop solar, storage, microgrids integrated into the main grid.
- Democratisation: consumer participation as “prosumers,” demand response, time-of-day pricing.
- Development of innovation ecosystem: startups, storage tech (including non-lithium), grid software.
DEconomic Dimension
- India targets 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030; grid readiness is a binding constraint.
- Modern grids reduce AT&C losses, improve billing efficiency, and enhance DISCOM viability.
- Blended finance lowers risk for private capital in grid upgrades.
- Reliable grids underpin manufacturing growth, data centres, and digital economy.
EEnvironmental / Climate Dimension
- Grid flexibility is essential for integrating solar and wind, which are intermittent.
- Enables faster coal displacement and supports India’s net-zero 2070 pathway.
- Storage + smart grids reduce renewable curtailment and emissions intensity.
⚠ Challenges / Risks
- DISCOM financial stress and tariff politics can limit reforms.
- Cybersecurity risks with deep digitalisation.
- Regulatory lag in enabling peer-to-peer power trading and storage markets.
- Uneven State capacity and reform appetite.
✅ Way Forward
- Align accelerator efforts with Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) and smart metering rollouts.
- Strengthen independent regulation and cost-reflective tariffs with targeted subsidies.
- Invest in grid-scale and distributed energy storage ecosystems.
- Develop cybersecurity standards for smart grids.
- Encourage time-of-day tariffs and demand response markets.
🎯 Exam Orientation
Prelims Pointers:
- International Solar Alliance: India–France led, focuses on solar deployment globally.
- DISCOMs handle last-mile electricity distribution and are key to power sector health.
- DERs include rooftop solar, storage, EVs, microgrids.
- Blended finance mixes public, private, and philanthropic funds.
Mains Practice Question (15 Marks):
“India’s clean energy transition is as much about grid reform as generation capacity.” Discuss in the context of initiatives like the India Grids of the Future Accelerator.
Agro-biodiversity Lessons from Bird Diversity Changes in Pusa, Bihar
Agro-ecology • IPM • Climate-Resilient Agriculture
Source: Down to Earth
AIssue in Brief
- Pusa, Bihar—a historic hub of Indian agricultural research—offers a rare century-scale comparison of bird diversity, linking colonial-era ornithology with present-day agro-ecology.
- Comparing C.W. Mason’s early 20th-century records with 2021–22 surveys shows major shifts in avian communities, with implications for natural pest control, crop resilience, and sustainable farming.
- The case demonstrates how heritage data + modern digital tools can guide agro-biodiversity conservation and climate-resilient agriculture.
BHistorical Scientific Baseline
- C.W. Mason analysed stomach contents of 1,325 birds across 110 species around Pusa to understand crop impacts.
- ~⅔ of 55,000 recorded food items were insects, including key pests (weevils, grasshoppers, rice hispa), evidencing birds’ role in biological pest regulation.
- Functional groups documented: insectivores (drongos, swifts), omnivores (mynas), graminivores (starlings), and predators (shrikes)—forming a natural pest-control web.
CPresent-Day Scenario (2021–22)
- Surveys documented ~50 species; only ~30.9% of historically recorded species persist, indicating substantial biodiversity loss.
- ~69% decline in earlier species (notably scavengers like vultures) linked to habitat loss, toxic veterinary drugs, and landscape change.
- Of current species, ~68% are long-term survivors (e.g., Black Drongo, Green Bee-eater, White Wagtail); ~32% are new colonisers, reflecting community shifts.
- Declines in insectivores and raptors weaken natural pest control; crop intensification and climate-driven phenology shifts reduce food availability.
DEnvironmental & Ecological Dimension
- Birds are ecosystem service providers: pest control, seed dispersal, and nutrient cycling.
- Loss of insectivores can increase pesticide dependence, creating negative feedback loops for biodiversity and soil–water health.
- Agro-biodiversity supports climate resilience, buffering farms against pest outbreaks and variability.
EAgriculture & Economy Dimension
- Integrating birds into Integrated Pest Management (IPM) can reduce input costs and chemical residues.
- On-farm measures—perches, hedgerows, native fruit trees, refuge patches—improve yields via ecological regulation.
- Biodiversity-friendly farming aligns with natural/organic farming missions and export-oriented residue standards.
FScience & Tech Dimension
- Digitising legacy data and linking with eBird checklists enables long-term biodiversity trend analysis.
- AI-based bioacoustics can match bird calls to databases, improving monitoring accuracy and citizen-science participation.
- Longitudinal datasets support evidence-based agro-ecological planning.
✅ Way Forward
- Create intentional farm habitats (butterfly gardens, bird refuges, mixed cropping) to restore functional diversity.
- Institutionalise long-term ecological monitoring in agricultural research stations.
- Promote reduced pesticide regimes and IPM to protect insectivores.
- Build living biodiversity databases combining historical and citizen-science data.
- Incentivise biodiversity-friendly farming through eco-labelling and market premiums.
🎯 Exam Orientation
Prelims Pointers:
- Birds provide key ecosystem services in agriculture, especially pest control.
- IPM (Integrated Pest Management) emphasises biological and cultural controls over chemicals.
- Citizen-science platforms like eBird aid biodiversity monitoring.
Mains Practice Question (15 Marks):
“Agro-biodiversity is central to sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture.” Discuss using evidence from long-term ecological observations like those from Pusa, Bihar.
Africa’s Strategic Minerals & Global Supply-Chain Realignments
Resource Geopolitics • Critical Minerals • Global South • Energy Transition
Source: Down to Earth
AIssue in Brief
- A new report by the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) — Compendium of Africa’s Strategic Minerals (2026) — argues that geopolitical tensions and supply-chain fragmentation are raising the strategic value of Africa’s minerals.
- Africa holds ~$29.5 trillion in mine-site mineral wealth (~20% of global total) but captures limited downstream value, largely exporting raw ores.
- The report calls for a shift from raw-material exporter → selective processor at strategic chokepoints, backed by infrastructure and regional integration.
📌 Relevance
GS 2 — International Relations
Resource geopolitics, Global South, China+1 strategy, minerals diplomacy.
GS 3 — Economy & Security
Critical minerals, supply-chain resilience, industrial policy, energy transition.
BCore Argument of the Report
- Africa’s constraint is “conversion, not geology”—weak infrastructure, limited processing, and fragmented markets prevent value capture.
- Global concentration risk is high: China controls ~90% of rare earth & manganese processing and dominates battery-grade graphite.
- Advanced economies seek supplier diversification for critical minerals.
- Africa’s non-aligned geopolitics + mineral diversity provide leverage if used strategically—focusing on high-impact supply chain nodes.
CEconomic Dimension
- Value addition potential is massive: $2.8T iron ore → ~$25.4T steel; $874B bauxite → $5.2T alumina → $15.4T aluminium.
- Current model = low-value exports + high-value imports, leading to forex leakage, limited job creation, and commodity-dependence risks.
- Mineral beneficiation can support industrialisation, manufacturing, and export diversification.
DInfrastructure & Development Dimension
- Processing viability depends on power, rail, ports, and industrial clusters—often missing or unreliable.
- Three conditions rarely co-locate: mineral resource, infrastructure, and market demand.
- Infrastructure is a development multiplier, not just a sectoral input.
EGeopolitical / IR Dimension
- Critical minerals are now tied to national security and techno-industrial competition.
- Africa can gain bargaining power in a world seeking China+1 supply chains.
- Strategic positioning allows Africa to avoid overdependence on any one bloc.
- Minerals diplomacy is becoming central to Global South geopolitics.
FRegional Integration
- National markets often too small for scale processing; report stresses regional aggregation under AfCFTA.
- Success cases: Morocco (phosphates), Copperbelt (copper), North Africa (steel).
- Regional value chains improve economies of scale and investment attractiveness.
GGold as a Macro-Stabiliser
- Africa holds >$5T in gold resources but underutilises it for reserves.
- Gold can: strengthen forex buffers, stabilise currencies, reduce dollar dependence.
- GoldBod (Ghana) cited as institutional reform to formalise mining and build reserves (>$10B reserves, currency appreciation).
⚠ Governance Challenges
- Fragmented and outdated geological data systems deter investors.
- Policy inconsistency and regulatory uncertainty raise risk.
- Risk of “resource curse” if governance and transparency are weak.
✅ Way Forward
- Treat geological data as strategic infrastructure.
- Invest in reliable power and transport corridors.
- Promote selective beneficiation at chokepoints.
- Use AfCFTA to build regional mineral value chains.
- Strengthen governance to avoid resource-curse dynamics.
- Leverage gold for macro-financial stability.
🎯 Exam Orientation
Prelims Pointers:
- Critical minerals are linked to energy transition, defence, and electronics.
- Supply-chain concentration creates geopolitical risk.
- Beneficiation = value addition through processing.
Mains Practice Question (15 Marks):
“Control over critical mineral supply chains is emerging as a key determinant of geopolitical and economic power.” Discuss with reference to Africa’s mineral potential and global supply-chain realignments.
