Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much.
Mains level: Paper 2- Shortcomings in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971 and need of the more progressive abortion law in the country.
Context
The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Bill doesn’t do enough to secure women’s choices and interests.
Deaths due to unsafe abortion and previous attempts to legislate
- Deaths due to unsafe abortions: Recent reports have shown that more than 10 women die every day due to unsafe abortions in India.
- And backward abortion laws only contribute to women seeking illegal and unsafe options.
- The Cabinet has recently approved the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (MTP Bill, 2020) which will soon be tabled in Parliament.
- It seeks to amend the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 (MTP Act) and follows the MTP Bills of 2014, 2017 and 2018, all of which previously lapsed in Parliament.
Provisions of the current law
- Foetus-age based division: The MTP Act divides its regulatory framework for allowing abortions into categories, according to the gestational age of the foetus.
- Up to 12 weeks: Under Section 3, for foetuses that are aged up to 12 weeks-
- Only one medical practitioner’s opinion is required to the effect that the continuance of the pregnancy would pose a risk to the life of the mother or cause grave injury to her physical or mental health.
- Or there is a substantial risk that if the child is born, it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped.
- Between 12 weeks and 20 weeks: But if the foetus is aged between 12 weeks and 20 weeks-
- At least two medical practitioners’ opinions conforming to either of the two conditions are required.
- What beyond 20 weeks? Beyond 20 weeks, termination may be carried out where it is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman.
- Definition of grave injury: The MTP Act also specifies that ‘grave injury’ may be explained as
- The anguish caused by a pregnancy arising out of rape, or the anguish caused by an unwanted pregnancy arising out of the failure of a contraceptive used by a married woman or her husband.
What are the issues with the current law?
- Several issues arise from the current framework under the MTP Act.
- First-Lac of autonomy of women: At all stages of the pregnancy, the healthcare providers, rather than the women seeking an abortion, have the final say on whether the abortion can be carried out.
- It is true that factors such as failure of contraceptives or grave injury are not required to be proved under the MTP Act.
- However, to get the pregnancy terminated solely based on her will, the woman may be compelled to lie or plead with the doctor.
- Thus, at present, pregnant women lack autonomy in making the decision to terminate their pregnancy and have to bear additional mental stress, as well as the financial burden of getting a doctor’s approval.
- On request abortion in 67 countries: Indian’s law is unlike the abortion laws in 67 countries, including Iceland, France, Canada, South Africa and Uruguay, where a woman can get an abortion ‘on request’ with or without a specific gestational limit (which is usually 12 weeks).
- Second-Prejudice against unmarried women: The MTP Act embodies a clear prejudice against unmarried women.
- According to ‘Explanation 2’ provided under Section 3(2) of the Act, where a pregnancy occurs due to failure of any birth control device or method used by any “married woman or her husband”, the anguish caused is presumed to constitute a “grave injury” to the mental health of the pregnant woman.
- While the applicability of this provision to unmarried women is contested, there is always the danger of a more restrictive interpretation, especially when the final decision rests with the doctor and not the woman herself.
- Third-Restriction of 20 weeks’ limit: Due to advancements in science, foetal abnormalities can now be detected even after 20 weeks.
- Danger to mother’s life only condition after 20 weeks: The MTP Act presently allows abortion post 20 weeks only where it is necessary to save the life of the mother.
- Problem with this restriction: The above restriction means that even if a substantial foetal abnormality is detected and the mother doesn’t want to bear life-long caregiving responsibilities and the mental agony associated with it, the law gives her no recourse unless there is a prospect of her death.
What does the bill fail to address?
- While the MTP Bill, 2020, is a step in the right direction, it still fails to address most of the problems with the MTP
- First, it doesn’t allow abortion on request at any point after the pregnancy.
- Second, it doesn’t take a step towards removing the prejudice against unmarried women by amending the relevant provision.
- And finally, it enhances the gestational limit for legal abortion from 20 to 24 weeks only for specific categories of women such as survivors of rape, victims of incest, and minors.
- This means that a woman who does not fall into these categories would not be able to seek an abortion beyond 20 weeks, even if she suffers from a grave physical or mental injury due to the pregnancy.
What are the provisions for the case of foetal abnormality in the bill?
- Limit irrelevant if the foetal abnormality is diagnosed by the Medical Board: The Bill does make the upper gestational limit irrelevant in procuring an abortion if there are substantial foetal abnormalities diagnosed by the Medical Board.
- This means that even if there is no threat to the mother’s life, she would be able to procure an abortion as soon as a substantial foetal abnormality comes to light.
- While this is an important step and would have in the past helped many women who fought long battles in Court without recourse.
- Rules against unnecessary delays: It is crucial that this provision is accompanied by appropriate rules for the Medical Boards that guard against unnecessary delays, which only increase the risks associated with a late abortion.
Conclusion
- Recognition of women’s right: The Supreme Court has recognised women’s right to make reproductive choices and their decision to abort as a dimension of their personal liberty (in X v. Union of India,2017) and as falling within the realm of the fundamental right to privacy (in K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India, 2017). Yet, current abortion laws fail to allow the exercise of this right.
- The bill does not do enough: While it is hoped that MTP Bill, 2020 will not lapse in Parliament like its predecessors, it is evident that it does not do enough to secure women’s interests, and there is still a long road ahead for progressive abortion laws.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much.
Mains level: Paper 2- Making the justice system more victim-centric.
Context
The recent judgment in Rekha Murarka vs The State Of West Bengal, the SC has held that the victims’ private counsel cannot orally examine or cross-examine the witnesses.
Place of the victim in the present criminal justice system
- Removed from the proceedings: Under our criminal justice system, victims find themselves removed from the proceedings.
- Their identities are reduced to being mere witnesses.
- The harm they suffer is reduced to being aggravating or mitigating factors at the time of sentencing.
- Stage props in a larger scheme: With the state appropriating their victimisation, the actual victims become mere stage props in a larger scheme.
- Need of The victim-centric notion of justice-Law Commission suggestion: In 1996, the 154th Law Commission Report suggested a paradigm shift in India’s criminal justice system towards a victim-centric notion of justice.
- Partial acceptance: The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2009 partially accepted the Law Commission suggestion and granted some rights to the victims of crime.
- The Act introduced victims’ right to a private counsel under Section 24(8).
- Move toward victim’s participation: The Code of Criminal Procedure already allowed for pleaders engaged by private persons to submit written arguments with the permission of the court under Sections 301(2) and 302 allowed a person to conduct the prosecution with permission of the court.
- These sections were read together to partially secure the victims’ right to participation.
Steps take towards securing justice for victims
- Right to legal assistance to victims of sexual assault: In the case of Delhi Domestic Working Women’s Forum v. Union of India (1994), the SC called for the extension of the right to legal assistance to victims of sexual assault at the pre-trial stages.
- The SC opinion over asymmetry in rights of victims and the accused: In Mallikarjun Kodagali (Dead) … vs The State Of Karnataka (2018), the Court accepted that under the criminal justice system, the rights of the accused far outweigh the rights of the victim.
- Introduction of victim impact statement right to appeal against the adverse order: The Supreme Court not only called for the introduction of a victim impact statement in order to guarantee the participation of the victim in the trial proceedings.
- The SC also reinstated the victims’ right to appeal against an adverse order.
Provisions on the international level for the victim’s participation
- Despite these advances, the scheme of victim participation remains far removed from the ideals embedded in the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power; India is a signatory.
- What does the declaration require? It requires that the views and concerns of victims should be allowed and considered at all appropriate stages without prejudice to the accused.
- Need to increase the victims’ advocate’s role: Presently, the victims’ advocate has an extremely limited role to play wherein he “assists” the prosecutor rather than represent the interests of the victim before the court.
- The only substantial opportunity provided to a private counsel is after the closing of evidence when written arguments may be submitted to the court only after seeking the permission of the court.
- Contrast with ICC: In contrast, the International Criminal Court (ICC) provides for victim participation at the stage of-
- First, a challenge to the jurisdiction of the ICC.
- Second, framing of charges.
- Third, opening and closing statements.
- Fourth, making a written submission wherever the personal interests of the victims are affected.
- And finally, for presenting witnesses to give evidence on issues relating to the personal interests of the victims.
What the SC judgement means
- Missed opportunity: The Supreme Court in Rekha Murarkahas missed the opportunity to forward the jurisprudence on victim justice and rectify the lacunae in our laws.
- Instead, the judgment goes against the jurisprudential current specified above.
- Indeed, the victim’s right to participation cannot be secured by restricting the rights of the accused.
- Why the victim’s advocate is not allowed the right to participate in the SC’s opinion: According to the judgment, a victim’s advocate cannot be allowed the right to participate because-
- First- Insistence by the victim’s counsel to examine a witness deliberately left out by the prosecution may weaken the prosecution’s case;
- Second– The trial will derogate into a “vindictive battle” between the victim’s counsel and the accused.
- Third- A lack of experience on the part of the victim’s counsel may lead to lapses.
- The problem in the SC ruling: The judgment further assumes that prosecutions effectively take the victim’s needs into account.
- SC ignored why the need for private counsel arise: The judgement ignores the fact that the need for a private counsel arises precisely because intentional or unintentional prosecutorial lapses directly lead to injustice to the victims.
- The court expects the victim’s counsel to make the prosecutor aware of any aspects that have not been addressed in the examination of witnesses or the arguments advanced by the public prosecutor.
- In the process, it assumes that the prosecutor will address such lapses.
Conclusion
Under the role currently envisaged in our criminal justice system, the public prosecutor cannot sufficiently take into account the interests, needs and requirements of the victims. The cause of victim justice would be greatly served if the Supreme Court decided to revisit its reasoning and assumptions to appropriately amend this provision in light of the above.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Mandamus
Mains level: Writ Jurisdiction of SC and HC and their scope
- The Supreme Court has ruled that reservation in the matter of promotions in public posts is not a fundamental right, and a state cannot be compelled to offer the quota if it chooses not to.
- It ruled that there is no fundamental right which inheres in an individual to claim reservation in promotions.
- Hence no mandamus can be issued by the court directing state governments to provide reservations,” the bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and Hemant Gupta said.
What is ‘Mandamus’?
- Mandamus is among the “prerogative writs” in English common law — meaning the extraordinary writs or orders granted by the Sovereign when ordinary legal remedies are inadequate.
- These are habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, and quo warranto.
- In India, the Supreme Court can issue prerogative writs under Article 32 of the Constitution, and the High Courts under Article 226.
- Mandamus literally means ‘we command’. When issued to a person or body, the writ of mandamus demands some activity on their part.
- It orders the person or body to perform a public or quasi-public duty, which they have refused to perform, and where no other adequate legal remedy exists to enforce the performance of that duty.
When is it used?
- The writ cannot be issued unless the legal duty is of public nature, and to whose performance the applicant of the writ has a legal right.
- The remedy is of a discretionary nature — a court can refuse to grant it when an alternative remedy exists.
- However, for enforcing fundamental rights, the alternative remedy argument does not hold as much weight, since it is the duty of the Supreme Court and the High Courts to enforce fundamental rights.
- When a public officer or government does an act that violates the fundamental right of a person, the court would issue a writ of mandamus against such authorities so that the person’s rights are not infringed.
- The writ can also be issued against inferior courts or other judicial bodies when they have refused to exercise their jurisdiction and perform their duty.
Limitations
- Under Article 361, mandamus cannot be granted against the President or Governor of a State, “for the exercise and performance of the powers and duties of his office or for any act done or purporting to be done by him in the exercise and performance of those powers and duties”.
- The writ also cannot be issued against a private individual or body, except where the State is in collusion with the private party for contravening a provision of the Constitution or a statute.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Read the attached story
Mains level: Upliftment of the manual scavengers
- The Maharashtra government has directed all civic bodies in the state to set up Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs) to ensure safeguards for sanitation workers who clean manholes and sewers.
- This move is in response to the multiple cases which were reported of workers dying from suffocation or inhalation of hazardous gases.
PEMSR ACT, 2013
- The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation (PEMSR) Act came into force in 2013.
- The law prohibits employing manual scavengers, manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks without protective equipment and construction of insanitary latrines.
- Those violating the law and getting sewers and septic tanks cleaned without protective equipment can face imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of up to Rs 2 lakh, or both.
- Repeat offenders will face imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh, or both.
The Supreme Court judgment
- While hearing a case on manual scavenging in 2014, the Supreme Court had stated, “If the practice of manual scavenging has to be brought to an end, and also to prevent future generations from the inhuman practice… rehabilitation of manual scavengers will need to include steps to avoid sewer deaths.”
- The court had said that making a sanitation worker enter sewer lines without safety gear should be a crime even in emergency situations.
- In such instances, if a sanitation worker died due to the unsafe conditions, a compensation of Rs 10 lakh has to be given to the family of the deceased, stated the court.
- The court had also directed authorities to identify the family members of sanitation workers who died while cleaning manholes and septic tanks since 1993, and give a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to them.
Directives by National Commission for Scheduled Castes
- To ensure effective implementation of the law banning manual scavenging, the commission issued various directives.
- It said workers have to be fully equipped with safety apparatus and oxygen masks in case they have to clean sewers manually.
- A first information report has to be lodged against officials or contractors responsible for sending a worker to clean sewers manually, without proper gear.
- The commission also made it mandatory for all municipal corporations to get an insurance policy of Rs 10 lakh per worker, as per the Supreme Court’s directions.
- The employers, in this case the civic bodies, will have to pay the policy premium.
Emergency Response Sanitation Unit (ERSU)
- In its directive on the setting up of ERSUs, the state government said the municipal commissioner of the civic body concerned will be the Responsible Sanitation Authority (RSA).
- The ERSU should be headed by a senior civic officer and other civic officers should be on the ERSU advisory board to decide the standard operating procedure (SoP) for workers who enter manholes for cleaning purposes.
- The civic body will also have to set up a dedicated toll-free number for the ERSU. The unit will impart training to sanitation workers.
- Only workers trained and certified by an ERSU will be able to clean sewers, but the priority will be on using machines to get such work done.
- In case a worker dies while cleaning a sewer, the civic body will have to hold an inquiry and register a police complaint.
Workshop on creating awareness on the issue
- All civic bodies have been asked to hold workshops to raise awareness on this issue in their respective jurisdictions.
- The workshops are going to focus on latest technology for cleaning sewers and septic tanks, and the final objective is to find a way to clean septic tanks or manholes with machines.
- The workshops will have sessions on laws pertaining to sanitation workers, the establishment of ERSUs and their roles, presentations on the latest equipment, machines and protective gear.
- Sanitation workers, NGOs, social organisations, housing society members and government officials have to participate in the workshops.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Reverse Osmosis
Mains level: Issues with RO water filtration system
- The Union Environment Ministry has issued a draft notification that seeks to regulate membrane-based water filtration systems in areas where the source of water meets drinking water norms of the Bureau of Indian Standards.
- This primarily affects reverse osmosis (RO)-based water filtration systems and the rules, at least in letter, effectively prohibit homes from installing domestic RO systems.
What is reverse osmosis (RO)?
- RO was originally a technology devised to desalinate sea water. The idea exploits the principle of osmosis.
- Take a tube, twist it into a ‘U’-shape and insert a semi-permeable membrane (a material with very small holes that will allow only certain molecules to filter through) at the point where the tube curves.
- Fill half the tube with salt water and the other with freshwater. Over time, fresh water will cross over into the salty arm until the proportion of salt and water in both arms is the same.
- This is due to osmotic pressure which dilutes a region with a higher concentration of solute (in this case, the salt).
- It would need to create some external pressure that will counter the osmotic pressure and suck all the water from the salty arm into the freshwater arm while leaving the salt behind. This is the essential principle of an RO system.
- To create external pressure, RO relies on a pump and electric motors. It uses “activated carbon” components, such as charcoal and carbon black that can filter out contaminants as well as organic substances such as bacteria.
- It all depends on the filtering material and the number of filters that incoming tap water must pass through.
- However, it is possible to deploy a wide array of membranes and multiple stages of filters to filter a wide variety of solutes — arsenic, fluoride, hexavalent chromium, nitrates, bacteria — that come mixed in water.
What is the problem with RO?
- In making tap water pass through multiple stages of cleaning, RO systems end up wasting a lot of water.
- Anywhere between three-five times more water is wasted by them than they produce and given the challenges that cities and government face in providing potable water.
- It is as part of this legal dispute, which began in March 2019 that led the Environment Ministry to move to regulate RO systems.
- Another concern with RO is that it filters out calcium, zinc, magnesium, which are essential salts needed by the body; drinking such water over time could be harmful.
- However, many manufacturers claim to overcome this challenge by “post-treatment”.
- This increases costs and reduces the incentive for public-funded water distribution systems to supply clean water to the vast majority of the country who can ill-afford such systems.
- The average RO system only aims to reduce Total Dissolved Solids, ensure water is odourless and has a pH from 6.5-8.5.
- The National Institute of Virology (NIV) claimed that most filtration methods did not eliminate Hepatitis E virus. A combination of filtration systems can eliminate most contaminants.
How is the quality of piped water in the country?
- Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the Prime Minister has committed to provide tap water to the entire country by 2024. However, studies show that the existing quality of piped water is deficient in much of India.
- Last year, the Department of Consumer Affairs undertook a study through the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) on the quality of piped drinking water being supplied in the country.
- Most samples drawn from various places did not comply with the BIS’s requirements.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Data on Indian's living abroad
Mains level: Indian diaspora in Gulf region
There are over 1.36 crore Indian nationals living abroad, according to data tabled by the Ministry of External Affairs in Lok Sabha.
Indians abroad
- The highest number of Indians abroad are living in the United Arab Emirates, where the 34,20,000 Indians comprise about one-fourth of all Indians abroad.
- The UAE is followed by Saudi Arabia (25,94,947), the US (12,80,000), Kuwait (10,29,861), Oman (7,79,351), Qatar (7,56,062), Nepal (5,00,000), UK (3,51,000), Singapore (3,50,000) and Bahrain (3,23,292).
- The CPV (Consular, Passport and Visa) division of the ministry is the nodal division that coordinates with all missions / posts abroad regarding transportation of the mortal remains of Indians from abroad to their hometowns in India.
Total remittances recieved
- Citing RBI data, the ministry said that during 2018-2019, $76.4 billion was received as remittances from Indians abroad.
- During 2019-2020 (April-September), $41.9 billion was received.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Genome India Project
Mains level: Applications of Gene mapping
The Union Govt. has given clearance to an ambitious gene-mapping project, estimated to be worth Rs 238 crore.
Genome India Project
- The Genome India Project has been described by those involved as the “first scratching of the surface of the vast genetic diversity of India”.
- It involves over 20 scientists from institutions including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru and a few IITs.
- One of the most comprehensive genome mapping projects in the world is the Human Genome Project (HGP), which began in 1990 and reached completion in 2003.
- The international project, which was coordinated by the National Institutes of Health and the US Department of Energy, was undertaken with the aim of sequencing the human genome and identifying the genes that contain it.
- The project was able to identify the locations of many human genes and provide information about their structure and organisation.
What is Genome Mapping?
- According to the Human Genome Project, there are estimated to be over 20,500 human genes.
- Genome refers to an organism’s complete set of DNA, which includes all its genes and mapping these genes simply means finding out the location of these genes in a chromosome.
- In humans, each cell consists of 23 pairs of chromosomes for a total of 46 chromosomes, which means that for 23 pairs of chromosomes in each cell, there are roughly 20,500 genes located on them.
- Some of the genes are lined up in a row on each chromosome, while others are lined up quite close to one another and this arrangement might affect the way they are inherited.
- For example, if the genes are placed sufficiently close together, there is a probability that they get inherited as a pair.
- Genome mapping, therefore, essentially means figuring out the location of a specific gene on a particular region of the chromosome and also determining the location of and relative distances between other genes on that chromosome.
Applications
- Significantly, genome mapping enables scientists to gather evidence if a disease transmitted from the parent to the child is linked to one or more genes.
- Furthermore, mapping also helps in determining the particular chromosome which contains that gene and the location of that gene in the chromosome.
- Genome maps have been used to find out genes that are responsible for relatively rare, single-gene inherited disorders such as cystic fibrosis and Duchene muscular dystrophy.
- Genetic maps may also point out scientists to the genes that play a role in more common disorders and diseases such as asthma, cancer and heart disease among others.
- Researchers from several international institutions mapped the handful of genes whose mutation causes several different kinds of cancers.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Thwaites Glacier
Mains level: Sea level rise and its impact
In the Antarctic floats a massive glacier, roughly the size of Britain, whose melting has been a cause of alarm for scientists over the years. Now, a new study has pinned the cause of the melting to the presence of warm water at a vital point beneath the glacier.
Thwaites Glacier
- The Thwaites Glacier is 120 km wide at its broadest, fast-moving and melting fast over the years.
- Because of its size (1.9 lakh square km), it contains enough water to raise the world sea level by more than half a metre.
- Studies have found the amount of ice flowing out of it has nearly doubled over the past 30 years. Today, Thwaites’s melting already contributes 4% to global sea level rise each year.
- It is estimated that it would collapse into the sea in 200-900 years. Thwaites is important for Antarctica as it slows the ice behind it from freely flowing into the ocean.
- Because of the risk it faces — and poses — Thwaites is often called the Doomsday Glacier.
What has the new study found?
- A 2019 study had discovered a fast-growing cavity in the glacier.
- More recently researchers detected warm water at a vital point below the glacier.
- Scientists dug a 600-m-deep and 35-cm-wide access hole, and deployed an ocean-sensing device called Icefin to measure the waters moving below the glacier’s surface.
- The study reported water at just two degrees above freezing point at Thwaites’s “grounding zone” or “grounding line”.
What is the grounding line?
- The grounding line is the place below a glacier at which the ice transitions between resting fully on bedrock and floating on the ocean as an ice shelf.
- The location of the line is a pointer to the rate of retreat of a glacier.
- When glaciers melt and lose weight, they float off the land where they used to be situated. When this happens, the grounding line retreats.
- That exposes more of a glacier’s underside to seawater, increasing the likelihood it will melt faster.
- This resulted in the glacier speeding up, stretching out, and thinning, causing the grounding line to retreat ever further.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Muktoshri
Mains level: Arsenic poisoning through food, Rice Fortification
Researchers have developed and commercialized a rice variety that is resistant to arsenic.
Muktoshri
- The new rice variety, Muktoshri — also called IET 21845 —, was developed jointly by the Rice Research Station at Chinsurah coming under West Bengal’s Agriculture Department and the National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow.
- A gazette notification for the commercial use of Muktoshri was made by West Bengal last year.
- During our multilocational trials, it was found that this variety uptakes very less amount of arsenic from soil and water in comparison to other varieties of rice.
- The rice is long and thin, and aromatic. Across the State, thousands of farmers have started cultivation, even in areas where arsenic in groundwater is not an issue, because of the aroma and the yield.
Significance
- West Bengal is among the States with the highest concentration of arsenic in groundwater, with as many as 83 blocks across seven districts having higher arsenic levels than permissible limits.
- Several studies have shown that arsenic from groundwater and the soil can enter the food chain through paddy.
- According to the WHO, long-term exposure to arsenic, mainly through drinking water and food, can lead to poisoning. Skin lesions and skin cancer are the most characteristic effects.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Fermentophone
Mains level: NA
Fermentation, the chemical breakdown of a substance by microorganisms such as bacteria or yeasts, results in some of the most delicious foods and beverages, including cheese, chocolate and wine. Now, research has shown it can result in music, too.
Fermentophone
- The chemical processes of fermentation can be used to create spontaneous tunes.
- Researchers has built multiple art exhibits called Fermentophone to showcase how fermentation can make music.
- First, different fruits and veggies are placed in glass jars and fermented.
- As the fermentation kicks off, the yeast — or bacteria — present in the food chows down on the foods’ sugars, which results in the release of carbon dioxide bubbles.
- The release of these bubbles creates a tiny sound, which is picked up by underwater microphones.
- A computer processes the sounds and, with the help of algorithms plugged in, electronic music is created.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Agartala-Akhaura Link
Mains level: Railway connectivity in NE states
The landmark Agartala-Akhaura railway line to connect the northeastern region with Bangladesh is expected to be ready by the end of 2021.
About Agartala-Akhaura Link
- MoU for Indo-Bangla Railway connectivity project viz. Agartala-Akhaura new Broad Gauge line (15.06 Km) was signed on 16.02.2013 between India and Bangladesh.
- The link will connect Gangasagar in Bangladesh to Nischintapur in India and from there to Agartala.
- The Project was at standstill because of the sharp increase in the cost of land for the sections in India.
- The Railway Ministry would bear the cost of laying the 5.46-km track on the Indian side and the cost of the 10.6-km track on the Bangladesh side was being borne by the Ministry of External Affairs.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Various Free Trade Agreements.
Mains level: Paper 3- Should India prefer bilateral trade agreements over multilateral agreements and what are the issues involved in this approach.
Context
India’s international trade posture appeared to turn protectionist in the past week, with two indicators the government sent out.
What were the two indicators?
- The first-Signal sent out in the Budget: The first indicator, which played out live on television was contained in the Union Budget.
- Laying out the Budget for the year, the finance minister made several references to the problems with free trade and preferential trade agreements (FTAs and PTAs).
- Raise in tariffs, changes in the act: The Budget raised tariffs on the import of more than 50 items and changed the Customs Act provisions substantially to penalise imports suspected to originate from third countries.
- The second- India declined negotiations: The other indicator was that India declined to attend a meeting of trade negotiators in Bali that was discussing the next step in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement.
Issues with the Free Trade Agreement
- What the FM told Parliament: It has been observed that imports under Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are on the rise.
- Undue claims of FTA benefits have posed a threat to the domestic industry.
- Such imports require stringent checks, adding that the government will ensure that all FTAs are aligned to the conscious direction of our policy.
- What could be the consequences of the Govt. policy?
- Discouragement to imports: While the Govt. motive may be to protect Indian markets from dumping-primarily by Chinese goods-
- The consequence of the changes will be to put Indian importers on notice and discourage imports in general.
- Even as the government reserves the right to modify or cancel preferential tariffs and ban the import or export of any goods that it deems fit.
The rise in the trade deficit and decision to walk out of FTA
- The trade deficit with FTA partners: The government’s problem with FTAs was a key theme in its decision to walk out of the RCEP negotiations (of 16 countries) the rise in trade deficits with FTA partners.
- Review of all agreements: The government says it will now review all those agreements and wants to “correct asymmetry” in negotiations with new partners. The agreement that would be reviewed includes-
- TAs signed with the 10-nation ASEAN grouping (FTA).
- Japan (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA).
- And South Korea (CEPA).
Why it would not be easy to negotiate bilateral treaties
- The bilateral agreement would not be a priority for other countries: If India makes a complete break with RCEP, negotiating the bilateral trade agreements (TAs) will not be a priority for the other countries until RCEP is done.
- The process of legal scrubbing is likely to take most of the year, and any talks with India will probably only follow that.
- Difficulty in getting better deal: It is also hard to see any of them being able to offer India a better deal bilaterally once they are bound into the multilateral RCEP agreement.
India’s pending talks on bilateral treaties
- Negotiations of CECA with Australia: The case of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) being negotiated with Australia, will be a difficult task, not the least due to its history.
- India and Australia began CECA talks in 2011.
- However, talks hit a dead-end in September 2015. With the focus on RCEP, no progress has been made since then.
- Negotiations of FTA with the UK: A similar scenario awaits the announcement of the India-United Kingdom FTA talks.
- It is unlikely that the U.K. will actually be able to talk until next year after terms for the K.’s full withdrawal from the European Union (EU) are completed.
- Negotiation of BTIA with the EU: Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) negotiation are also unlikely to make headway until the UK’s complete withdrawal from the EU.
- Both sides will have to decide how to revive from where they left off in 2013.
- Why the negotiations are pending? Making the negotiations harder is the government’s decision to scrap all bilateral investment treaties with 57 countries including EU nations, and bringing in a new Bilateral Investment treaty (BIT) model in 2015.
- Only Kyrgyzstan, Belarus and most recently Brazil have agreed to sign a new investment treaty based on that model.
- The US-India trade issue: Finally, there is the much-anticipated resolution of U.S.-India trade issues ahead of the visit of U.S. President.
- The talks in that visit could also include talks on an FTA.
- At present, there have only been some non-paper talks on the issue.
- And given that the U.S. has expressed deep misgivings about India’s BIT model, these talks will also take several years to come to fruition.
Why India should rethink its stand on FTA
- First-Prospect of no dispute settlement mechanism: The decline of multilateralism, accelerated by the retrenchment of the U.S. and China’s intransigence have all meant the World Trade Organization (WTO) has lost steam as a world arbiter.
- This leaves states that are not part of arrangements without a safety net on dispute settlement mechanisms.
- The second-trade deficit of other countries with India: The government has invoked the massive $57-billion trade deficit with China to explain protectionist measures, but it forgets its own trade surpluses with smaller economies.
- Particularly in the neighbourhood, where Indian exports form more than 80% of total trade with Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, respectively.
- Third- The rise of regional agreements: It is clear that most of the world is now divided into regional FTAs, for example-
- The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) for North America.
- The Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR for its Spanish initials) for South America.
- The EU, the Eurasian Economic Union (Russia and neighbours).
- The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
- The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) FTA in West Asia.
- And now the biggest of them all, RCEP, which minus India, represents a third of the world’s population and just under a third of its GDP.
- Fourth- Finally, the trend across the world does not favour trade in services the way it does in goods.
- India’s strength in the services sector and its demand for more mobility for Indian employees, is thus becoming another sticky point in FTA negotiations.
Conclusion
India’s demographic might is certainly attractive for international investors, but only if that vast market has purchasing power and is not riven by social unrest and instability. India’s demographic might is certainly attractive for international investors, but only if that vast market has purchasing power and is not riven by social unrest and instability.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: LTRO-Long Term Rero by the RBI, what is it?
Mains level: Paper 3- Novel approach adopted by the RBI to push the growth.
Context
February signalled a new dynamic-Monetary policy is no longer driven by MPC.
What changed after December MPC review
- Pause in the rate cut by MPC: In its December policy, the Reserve Bank of India suddenly paused on cutting rates, putting the ball in the government’s court to support growth.
- Conservative union budget: With last week’s Union Budget belying expectations of short-term growth boosters, the ball was back in the RBI’s court.
- The Budget opted for fiscal conservativism over activism, consolidating the fiscal deficit to 3.5 per cent of GDP in 2020-21 from 3.8 per cent in 2019-20– bypassing any ambitious expenditure boost or significant tax cuts.
- Rise in the inflation in Dec-Feb interval: Meanwhile, the policy arithmetic turned more complicated for the MPC.
- At the time of the December policy meeting, CPI inflation was trending close to 5 per cent (the October reading was 4.6 per cent).
- Since then a combination of supply-side shocks, which led for example to unseasonally high vegetable and protein prices, buoyed inflation to over 7 per cent, nearly 140 basis points above the RBI’s upper bound comfort zone of 6 per cent.
- As a primarily inflation-targeting central bank, this effectively stopped the MPC from easing further.
Key takeaways from February MPC meeting
- The February policy meeting removed two key uncertainties in the current policy scenario.
- First, the RBI is still very concerned about growth and the burgeoning negative gap between the current growth trajectory and potential growth.
- Second, monetary policy is no longer strictly limited to the MPC’s decision-making.
- Because of the risk of supply-side shocks hitting inflation, it is understandable that the RBI has summarised its outlook on inflation as “highly uncertain”.
- Hence, of the policy measures that the RBI has at its disposal, the MPC’s “conventional” arrow of rate cuts was left unused.
- Instead, the RBI has opted for macroprudential intervention, unveiling two other “unconventional” policy arrows.
RBI opting for macroprudential intervention in two ways
- Policy transmission via LTRO-the first arrow: The primary macro challenge has been transmission via the credit channel — banks are not lowering their deposit rates.
- Why? This is due to competition from the small savings rate and to protect saver, and in turn are keeping lending rates high.
- How it impacts economy: Sectors considered higher risk (real estate, MSMEs) find themselves credit-starved.
- In a move that seems inspired by the European Central Bank’s quantitative easing in 2011, the RBI’s announcement on long term repo operations (LTROs) has been aimed at promising banks longer-duration liquidity at the repo rate, which is cheaper relative to their current deposit rates.
- The aim is to nudge them to kick-start the credit cycle.
- The exemption of cash reserve ratio for incremental loans to MSMEs and the retail sector is also aimed at lowering costs for banks, which ideally should be passed onto these sectors.
- Managing the stress in financial system-the second arrow: It is aimed at managing the looming stress in the financial system from bad loans, especially as deleveraging becomes more difficult during an economic slowdown.
- Extension to restructuring durations: The extension of the restructuring scheme on MSME loans and projects in the commercial real estate sector is aimed at releasing capital for banks in the short term.
- Though banks will ultimately need to recognise loans that are non-performing.
- Easing guidelines on the classification of loans: Similarly, easing guidelines on the classification of loans for projects in the commercial real estate sector that have been delayed is essentially designed to provide some breathing space to banks.
What does this mean for the macro outlook?
- Recovery in demand is a must: The RBI’s new macroprudential measures, its “unconventional” policy arrows, while well-meaning, are ultimately supply-side measures.
- For the RBI to attain its goals, be it on asset quality or transmission, there eventually needs to be a recovery in demand conditions.
- ECB’s LTRO experience: To be fair, even the ECB’s LTRO programme has had mixed success — a central bank can flood the market with liquidity, but the ultimate onus on releasing it to the real economy rests with banks.
- So far, excess liquidity has not benefitted segments considered high risk (real estate developers, MSMEs).
Conclusion
The ECB introduced the LTRO programme when growth was weak and the euro area was struggling with a severe sovereign debt crisis. With the RBI embarking on something similar, albeit on a smaller scale, the niggling concern is if there is more financial instability lurking around the corner but not yet evident in the current data.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much.
Mains level: Paper 2- Efficacy of Model Code of Conduct to ensure free fair and pure elections
Context
Campaign for the Delhi Assembly election in which the development debate was overshadowed by hate-mongering and outpouring of communal vitriol underscores need to do more.
Understanding the Model Code of Conduct (MCC)
- Behavioural guidelines: It is a set of behavioural guidelines for political parties and candidates for-
- The peaceful conduct of elections.
- To prevent hate speech.
- Malpractices.
- Corruption and
- Misuse of government machinery by the ruling party.
- Not judicially enforceable: Since it is not an Act passed by Parliament, the Code is not judicially enforceable.
- The action against a violator usually takes the form of an advice, warning or censure.
- No punitive action can be taken.
- No wonder, many consider the Code as toothless.
- Moral authority: It is not toothless though. Its moral authority far outweighs its legal sanctity.
- Political leaders worth their salt are scared of inviting a notice for a violation, as it creates negative public opinion.
- Besides, unlike the legal processes, its impact is instant.
The legality of the MCC
- Test of legality in the courts: The legality of the code has been judicially tested.
- First legal acceptance: Its first judicial acceptance came in 1997 when the Punjab and Haryana High Court gave the EC the power to enforce the code.
- “Such a code of conduct when it is seen that it does not violate any of the statutory provisions can certainly be adopted by the Election Commission for the conduct of free and fair election, which should be pure as well,” the Court said.
- The SC has repeatedly held that this must be enforced strictly.
Parallels between the MCC and other legal provision
- The first section of the MCC lays down that-Part 1 (1) “ No party or candidate shall include in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic.”
- “…Criticism of other parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided.”
- Parallels with RPA: The Representation of the People Act (1951) categorically defines the above two as corrupt practices in Section 123 (3A) and Section 123 (4) respectively.
- Section 125 of RPA provides for punishment for similar violations.
- Parallels with IPC: It is important to note that Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code has a similar provision:
- Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.
Refreshing change
- Prompt action: It must be appreciated that the EC was prompt in its action against the leaders accused of hate speech in Delhi election campaign.
- While it instantly, suo moto, deprived the two leaders of their star campaigner status, it also punished them with a gag order, using the ultimate weapon provided by Article 324.
- The EC flexing its muscle outside the so-called “toothless” MCC and invoking Article 324 is indeed a refreshing change.
- In earlier instances, it often had to let the culprits go with a mere “warning, caution or censure”.
- In its notice to a leader, the EC cited Sections 123 and 125 of the RP Act.
Conclusion
- Historically, the EC has always taken simultaneous action under the Model Code of Conduct and the other two provisions. While the MCC produces instant results, the penal provisions involve endless judicial processes. Not taking action under the IPC encouraged violators to commit repeat offences.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much.
Mains level: Regulation of parliamentary speech and conduct of the representatives.
Two days of heated exchanges in Parliament have brought back recurring questions around “unparliamentarily” speech and conduct.
No absolute privilege
- Article 105(2) of the Constitution lays down that “no Member of Parliament shall be liable to any proceedings in any court in respect of anything said or any vote given by him in Parliament or any committee thereof”.
- However MPs do not enjoy the freedom to say whatever they want inside the House.
Checks on MPs’ speech
- Whatever an MP says is subject to the discipline of the Rules of Parliament, the “good sense” of Members, and the control of proceedings by the Speaker.
- These checks ensure that MPs cannot use “defamatory or indecent or undignified or unparliamentary words” inside the House.
- Rule 380 (“Expunction”) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha regulates the speech of MPs.
- It says: “If the Speaker is of opinion that words have been used in debate which are defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or undignified, the Speaker may, while exercising discretion order that such words be expunged from the proceedings of the House.”
- Rule 381 says: “The portion of the proceedings of the House so expunged shall be marked by asterisks and an explanatory footnote shall be inserted in the proceedings as follows: ‘Expunged as ordered by the Chair’.”
What are Unparliamentary expressions?
- There are phrases and words, literally in thousands, both in English and in other Indian languages that are “unparliamentary”.
- The Presiding Officers — Speaker of Lok Sabha and Chairperson of Rajya Sabha — have the job of keeping these bad words out of Parliament’s records.
- For their reference and help, the Lok Sabha Secretariat has brought out a bulky tome titled ‘Unparliamentary Expressions’, the 2004 edition of which ran into 900 pages.
- The list contains several words and expressions that would probably be considered rude or offensive in most cultures; however, it also has stuff that is likely to be thought of as being fairly harmless or innocuous.
- The state legislatures too are guided mainly by the same book, which also draws heavily from unparliamentarily words and phrases used in the Vidhan Sabhas and Vidhan Parishads of India.
Examples of unparliamentary
- Among the words and phrases that have been deemed unparliamentary are “scumbag”, “shit”, “badmashi”, “bad” (as in “An MP is a bad man”), and “bandicoot”, which is unparliamentary if an MP uses it for another, but which is fine if he uses it for himself.
- If the Presiding Officer is a “lady”, no MP can address her as “beloved Chairperson”.
- The government or another MP cannot be accused of “bluffing”. “Bribe”, “blackmail”, “bribery”, “thief”, “thieves”, “dacoits”, “bucket of shit”, “damn”, “deceive”, “degrade”, and “darling”, are all unparliamentary.
- MPs or Presiding Officers can’t be accused of being “double minded”, having “double standards”, being of “doubtful honesty”, being “downtrodden”, indulging in “double talk”, being “lazy”, “lousy”, a “nuisance” or a “loudmouth”.
- No Member or Minister can be accused of having “deliberately concealed”, “concocted”, of being of a “confused mind”, or being “confused and unintelligent”.
- An illiterate MP can’t be called “angootha chhaap”, and it is unparliamentary to suggest that a member should be sent to the “ajayabghar” (museum).
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Mutation, Gene mapping
Mains level: Rising incidences of cancer in India and its prevention
A series of new papers in the journal Nature has revealed the most comprehensive gene map ever of the genes causing cancer. It shows departures from normal behaviour i.e. mutations trigger a cascade of genetic misbehaviours that eventually lead to cancer.
What is Mutation?
- A mutation is a change that occurs in our DNA sequence, either due to mistakes when the DNA is copied or as the result of environmental factors such as UV light and pollution etc.
- Structural variations mean deletion, amplification or reorganization of genomic segments that range in size from just a few bases to whole chromosomes.
- Bases are the structural units of genes.
- Over a lifetime our DNA can undergo changes or ‘mutations’ in the sequence of bases A, C, G and T.
Why study cancer?
- Cancer is known to be a disease of uncontrolled growth.
- The growth process, like all other physiological processes, has genetic controls so that the growth is self-limiting. When one or more genes malfunction, the growth process can go out of hand.
- Not just cancer, there are many other diseases with a genetic link in varying degrees.
- Just a handful of “driver” mutations could explain the occurrence of a large number of cancers, the researchers said, raising hopes of a cancer cure being nearer than ever.
How big is the cancer burden?
- Cancer is the second most-frequent cause of death worldwide, killing more than 8 million people every year; incidence of cancer is expected to increase by more than 50% over the coming decades.
- 1 in 10 Indians will develop cancer during their lifetime, and one in 15 Indians will die of cancer, according to the World Cancer Report by WHO.
- The Northeastern states, UP, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Haryana, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh account for 44% of the cancer burden in India, says a recent analysis, published in The Lancet.
Is the genetic link to cancer well established?
- Yes, it is. One such association, for example, is of breast cancer with the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes; the actress Angelina Jolie, who discovered that she carried the former gene, chose to undergo a preventive double mastectomy.
- This is personalised therapeutics where, instead of traditional toxic medications like chemotherapy, drugs that specifically target the delinquent genetic mutation are already being used.
- Such therapy, however, remains very expensive.
What is the new study that has oncologists around the world excited?
- It is a major international collaboration called the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG), in which researchers has published a series of papers after analysing some whole-cancer genomes and their matching normal tissues across 38 tumor types.
- They concluded that on average, cancer genomes contained 4-5 driver mutations when combining coding and non-coding genomic elements.
- This is the largest genome study ever of primary cancer.
- Various kinds of cancers required to be studied separately because cancers of different parts of the body often behave very differently from one another; so much so that it is often said that cancer is not one disease but many.
Breakthrough achievement of the study
- The mutations identified by the team have been catalogued. Identification and cataloguing of the genes is a very crucial step and has taken science’s understanding of cancer and its genesis ahead by several leaps.
- The catalogue, which is already available online, allows doctors and researchers from all over the world to look things up, consult and find information about the cancer of a given patient.
- The study has discovered causes of previously unexplained cancers, pinpointed cancer-causing events and zeroed in on mechanisms of development, opening new vistas of personalized cancer treatment to strike at the root of the problem.
- When it comes to drug development, however, the gene mapping is but a first step.
The next step
- The process of drug development will have to now kick in with pharmaceutical companies first identifying the compound(s) that target these gene mutations and then it being subjected to the rigours of clinical trials to prove its safety and efficacy.
- That could take anything from a few decades to a few years to cover all the mutations identified.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Biomedical waste
Mains level: Treatment of Biomedical waste
The State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) / Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) have recently published the details of State/UT-wise quantum of bio-medical waste generation (during 2016-18) in the country.
Bio-Medical Waste
Biomedical waste/hospital waste is any kind of waste containing infectious materials. It may also include waste associated with the generation of biomedical waste that visually appears to be of medical.
- Hospital waste refers to all waste, biological or non‐ biological that is discarded and not intended for further use.
- Bio-medical waste means any waste, which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals or in research activities pertaining thereto or in the production or testing of biological and including categories mentioned in Schedule I, of the BMW rules, 2016.
Who deals with Bio-medical wastes in India?
- Central Pollution Control Board has been following up with all SPCBs/PCCs to ensure effective management of biomedical waste in States/UTs.
Collection and disposal
- The collection and disposal is treated and disposed as per the specified methods of disposal prescribed under Schedule I of the Rules.
- Bio-medical waste generated from the hospitals shall be treated and disposed by Common Bio-medical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility.
- In case there is no common facility in the reach of a healthcare facility, then such healthcare facility should install captive treatment and disposal facility.
- There are 200 authorized Common Bio-medical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facilities (CBWTFs) in 28 States for environmentally safe disposal of biomedical waste.
- Remaining 7 States namely Goa, Andaman Nicobar, Arunachal Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim do not have CBWTFs.
Categorization
As informed by CPCB and as per Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, Bio-medical waste is required to be segregated in 4 color coded waste categories.
- Common methods of treatment and disposal of bio-medical waste are by incineration/plasma pyrolysis/deep-burial for Yellow Category waste;
- Autoclaving/microwaving/chemical disinfection for Red Category waste;
- Sterilization and shredding, disinfection followed by burial in concrete pit/recycling through foundry/encapsulation for White Category sharps waste; and
- Washing, disinfection followed by recycling for Blue Category glass waste.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Ease of Living Index and Municipal Performance Index
Mains level: Urban development
The surveys to determine the Ease of Living Index (EoLI) and Municipal Performance Index (MPI) 2019 has been initiated by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs. Both these indices are designed to assess the quality of life of citizens in 100 Smart Cities and 14 other Million Plus Cities.
Municipal Performance Index
- With the MPI 2019, the Ministry has sought to assess the performance of municipalities based on five enablers namely Service, Finance, Planning, Technology and Governance.
- These have been further divided into 20 sectors which will be evaluated across 100 indicators.
- This will help Municipalities in better planning and management, filling the gaps in city administration, and improving the liveability of cities for its citizens.
Ease of Living Index
- EOLI is aimed at providing a holistic view of Indian cities – beginning from the services provided by local bodies, the effectiveness of the administration, the outcomes generated through these services in terms of the liveability within cities and, finally, the citizen perception of these outcomes.
- The key objectives of the EOL Index are four-folds, viz.
- Generate information to guide evidence-based policy making;
- Catalyse action to achieve broader developmental outcomes including the SDG;
- Assess and compare the outcomes achieved from various urban policies and schemes; and
- Obtain the perception of citizens about their view of the services provided by the city administration.
- For the first time, as part of the EOLI Assessment, a Citizen Perception Survey is being conducted on behalf of the Ministry (which carries 30% of the marks of the Ease of Living Index).
- This is a very important component of the assessment exercise as it will help in directly capturing perception of citizens with respect to quality of life in their cities.
- This survey, which is being administered both online and offline, has commenced from 1st February 2020 and will continue till 29th February 2020.
- The offline version involving face-to-face interviews will commence on the 1st of February and will run parallel to the on-line versions.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: SARAS Initiative
Mains level: Not Much
Coal India’s flagship subsidiary NCL (Northern Coalfields Limited) has set up a centre named SARAS.
SARAS Initiative
- SARAS stands for Science and Applied Research Alliance and Support.
- It aims to promote innovation, R&D and skill development along with improving company’s operational efficiency and utilize resources at optimum level.
- SARAS will help and enable the company in Integration of Innovation and Research for enhancing coal production, productivity, and safety in mines.
- Besides, the SARAS would also help establish centres of excellence to ensure technical support to R&D along with thrust on quality skill development and employment to local youths in and around company’s operational area.
About NCL
- NCL accounts for 15 per cent of India’s coal production and 10 per cent of thermal power generation of the country is met by the coal produced by this Miniratna Company of Govt. of India.
- The company produces more than 100 million tonnes of coal every year.
- It has planned to produce 107 million tonnes of coal in the current fiscal.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Remdesivir
Mains level: Coronovirus outbreak
The Wuhan Institute of Virology at Wuhan, China has filed for a patent on Remdesivir, an antiviral experimental drug from the US which may help treat the novel coronavirus (nCoV-2019).
Remdesivir
- It is an experimental drug and has not yet been licensed or approved anywhere globally. It has not been demonstrated to be safe or effective for any use.
- It is currently being developed for the treatment of Ebola virus infection.
- Remdesivir and chloroquine effectively inhibit the recently emerged novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in vitro.
- Chloroquine is a “widely used” anti-malarial and autoimmune disease medicine that has recently come to light as a potential antiviral drug.
Can Remdesivir treat coronavirus?
- Significantly, Remdesivir has demonstrated in vivo (experimentation using a whole living organism) and in vitro (activity performed in a controlled environment) activity in animal models against viral pathogens that cause MERS and SARS.
- Even so, the use of the experimental drug has been allowed only as an emergency treatment, which can be administered in the absence of any other approved treatment options.
- These two diseases are also caused by coronaviruses structurally similar to the nCoV-2019.
- Additionally, limited clinical data is available from the emergency administration of Remdesivir in patients with Ebola.
- Even so, it is yet to be seen if Remdesivir and chloroquine can be effective against the novel coronavirus in humans.
How can the novel coronavirus infection be treated?
- As of now, there is no known treatment for the novel coronavirus, and an appropriate antiviral drug is required for this.
- Ideally, a vaccine against the infection can also prove to be effective, but such a development does not seem to be in the offing for at least three-four months.
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