Daily Current Affairs including Notes - 28 April

The Hindu -

‘FARMERS MUST BE GIVEN OPTIONS TO CHECK STUBBLE BURNING’ (ENVIRONMENT)

Expressing concern over the environmental hazards caused by the practice of stubble burning, Punjab Governor V.P. Singh Badnore said it is important that farmers are given the option to adopt alternative practices to ensure proper disposal of paddy residue instead of resorting to stubble burning.
Stubble burning was not only damaging the health of people but its harmful effects are also causing loss of organic components in soil. But in the absence of an economically viable alternative attempts to control the practice fails to bear fruit.
In this context there’s need for formulating a comprehensive strategy, including generating mass awareness among farmers, and providing available technologies at affordable prices to check the practice.
👉What is stubble burning?
Stubble burning refers to the use of a controlled fire to clear the crop residue that remains in the paddock after harvest and could more accurately be called ‘crop residue burning.
Open burning of husk produces harmful smoke that causes pollution. Large amount of toxic pollutants containing harmful gases like Methane, Carbon Monoxide (CO), Volatile organic compound (VOC) and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are emitted in the atmosphere.
It is mainly carried out in Haryana and Punjab and is found to be a major contributor to Delhi’s air pollution.
👉Why stubble burning?
Paddy harvesting is done by combine harvester machine leaves behind stubbles on the field.
Burning the stubble is the cheapest and quickest way to get their fields ready in time for the sowing of next crop. It kills weeds including those resistant to herbicides.
 👉What can be a viable solution?
A farmer’s economic compulsions is what dominate his decision to burn stubble. So solutions must be drawn keeping this in mind
  • Incentives from power generators and ethanol manufactures to farmers bringing stubble will provide solution for this.
  • Super SMS (straw management system) is an attachment that fits onto the combine harvesters for paddy, spreads residue evenly over the field. It should be deployed while cutting the stubbles.
  • Initiatives should be taken to market biochar as a nutrient and private players should be involved for the infrastructures required.

PUNJAB GOVT. VIOLATING MODEL CODE: SAD (POLITY)

A day after the bypoll schedule for Punjab’s Shahkot Assembly seat was announced by EC, the Shiromani Akali Dal has accused the ruling Congress government of violating the model code of conduct by transferring officials.
👉What is the model code of conduct?
For free and fair elections a level playing field for the contestants and an equal opportunity for all parties for presenting their policies and programmes to voters are necessary.
The Model Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India to regulate the conduct of political parties and their candidates in the run up to elections and is aimed at ensuring free and fair elections. The uniqueness of the MCC is the fact that this was a document that originated and evolved with the consensus of the political parties.
The Code of Conduct comes into force immediately after the elections are announced by the EC. It applies to political parties, their candidates and polling agents, the government in power and all government employees.
It aims to ensure that the ruling party, either at the Centre or in the states, does not misuse its official position to gain an unfair advantage in an election. This instrument is a major contribution of Indian electoral system to the cause of democracy.
Legal Status: Though the Code doesn’t have any statutory basis, it has an indisputable legitimacy and parties across the political spectrum have generally adhered to its letter and spirit.

NOD FOR PROCUREMENT OF NAG MISSILE ( DEFENCE)

The Defence Acquisition Council led by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman here today cleared capital acquisition proposals worth over Rs 3,687 crore, which primarily includes the Defence Research and Development Organisation developed NAG missile system.
The DAC also approved procurement of thirteen 127 mm calibre guns for the Navy from U.S.-based BAE Systems for over Rs. 3,000 crore.
👉ATMG Nag
Indigenously developed Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) Nag, one of five missile systems developed indigenously by DRDO under integrated guided missile development programme (IGMDP). It is manufactured by India’s sole missile producer, state-owned Bharat Dynamics Limited.
The Nag missile is third generation ATMG which works on “fire and forget” principle. It has operational range of 500m to 4km (Land version) and 7-10km (when air-launched). It is equipped with highly advanced Imaging Infrared Radar (IRR) seeker along with integrated avionics. This technology is possessed by very few nations.
The helicopter launched version known of NAG missile is known as NAG (HELINA)
It also possesses advanced passive homing guidance system. It has been designed mainly to destroy modern main battle tanks and other heavily armoured targets. It can be launched from land and air-based platforms
Note: – The other four missiles Under IGMDP are Agni, Akash, Trishul and Prithvi.

DEATH PENALTY PROPOSED FOR RAPE OF BOYS UNDER 12 TOO (POLITY)

Less than a week after the Criminal Law (Amendment) ordinance, 2018 — which provides for death penalty for those convicted of raping a girl below 12 years — was promulgated, the Union women and child development (WCD) ministry is set to move the Cabinet seeking approval for the same punishment for those guilty of sexually abusing young boys of the same age.
While crimes against girls were enhanced through amendment to the IPC combined with a revision of Section 42 of the POCSO Act to imply that the stricter punishment in the IPC will apply, there was no mention of crimes against boys. It resulted in an anomaly where the same crime committed against a girl and a boy is treated differently. The ordinance that was brought in to punish those raping girls less than 12 years contradicts the spirit of POCSO, which is gender-neutral.
Now with this move the government intends to make the crime and punishment there on gender neutral.
To this end the sections 4,5 and 6 of the POCSO Act would now be amended to not only provide for death penalty for rape of boys under the age of 12 but also bring jail terms for sexual offences committed against boys under the age of 16 on par with those for girls in the same age category.
👉About POSCO Act
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, (POCSO), 2012, aims at providing protection to children (individuals below the age of 18) from sexual violence including sexual assault, sexual harassment, and the inclusion of children in pornography. The Act also provides for the establishment of special courts for trials of such offenders and for related matters.
The Act for the first time has defined “penetrative sexual assault”, “sexual assault” and “sexual harassment” and incorporates child friendly procedures for reporting, recording, investigation and trial offences.
The Act provides for stringent punishments which have been graded as per the gravity of offence.

A DAY OF SMILES AS KOREAS AIM FOR DENUCLEARISATION (IR)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed on Friday to finally end a seven-decade war this year, and pursue the “complete denuclearization” of the Korean Peninsula.
With this Kim Jong-un became the first North Korean leader since the 1950-53 Korean War to set foot in South Korea, after shaking hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in over a concrete curb marking the border in the heavily fortified demilitarised zone.
The two Koreas also announced they would work with the U.S. and China this year to declare an official end to the 1950s Korean War.
The Panmunjom Declaration, named after the truce village that hosted the talks, included promises to pursue phased arms reduction, cease hostile acts, transform their fortified border into a peace zone and seek multilateral talks with other countries, including the U.S.
The agreement follows a rapid thaw of tensions on the peninsula after a flurry of North Korean missile tests and a hydrogen bomb detonation last year.



To Download this editorial in PDF version CLICK HERE

Comments

Post a Comment

share your views