Comprehensive Current affairs 7 November 2020

Ordinance to amend arbitration law.

The government issued an ordinance to amend the arbitration law to ensure that all stakeholder parties get an opportunity to seek an unconditional stay on enforcement of arbitral awards where the arbitration agreement or contract is "induced by fraud or corruption".

The ordinance which further amends the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 also does away with the 8th Schedule of the Act which contained the necessary qualifications for accreditation of arbitrators.

Key highlights:

The Ordinance aims to ensure that all the stakeholders get an opportunity to seek unconditional stay of enforcement of arbitral awards where the underlying arbitration agreement or contract or making of the arbitral award are induced by fraud or corruption.

 An addition has been made to Section 36 whereby if the Court is satisfied that a prima facie case is made out that the arbitration agreement or contract which is the basis of the award was induced or effected by fraud or corruption, it will stay the award unconditionally pending disposal of the  challenge made to the award under Section 34.

The ordinance also does away with the 8th Schedule of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 which contained the necessary qualifications for accreditation of arbitrators.

The provision will come into effect retrospectively from October 23, 2015, the ordinance states.

Daylight Saving Time (DST).

Clocks in the US will “felt back” an hour signalling the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST).What does this Imply?

• With clocks in the US going back an hour, the time difference between New York and India will increase from the current nine and a half hours to ten and a half hours.

• In the Southern Hemisphere, the opposite has happened, where countries have “sprung forward”, and time difference with India has reduced.

What is DST?

• DST is the practise of resetting clocks ahead by an hour in spring, and behind by an hour in autumn (or fall).

• During these months, countries that follow this system get an extra hour of daylight in the evening.

• Because the spring to fall cycle is opposite in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, DST lasts from March to October/November in Europe and the US, and from September/October to April in New Zealand and Australia.

• Dates for this switch, which happens twice a year (in the spring and autumn) are decided beforehand.

 • By law, the 28 member states of the EU switch together — moving forward on the last Sunday of March and falling back on the last Sunday in October.

• In the US, clocks go back on the first Sunday of November.

How Many Countries use DST?

• DST is in practice in some 70 countries, including those in the European Union.

• India does not follow DST; since countries near the Equator do not experience high variations in daytime hours between seasons.

• There is, however, a separate debate around the logic of sticking with an only one-time zone in a country as large as India.

What does this System mean to Achieve?

• The key argument is that DST is meant to Save Energy.

• The rationale behind setting clocks ahead of standard time, usually by 1 hour during springtime, is to ensure that the clocks show a later sunrise and later sunset — in effect a longer evening daytime.

• Individuals will wake an hour earlier than usual, complete their daily work routines an Hour earlier, and have an extra hour of daylight at the end.

UNGA adopts two India sponsored resolutions on Nuclear disarmament.

The first committee of the United Nations General Assembly has adopted two India-sponsored resolutions on nuclear disarmament which aim to reduce risk of nuclear accidents and call for a prohibition on the use of nuclear weapons.

The UNGA first committee deals with the issue of disarmament and works in close cooperation with the United Nations Disarmament Commission and the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament, the other two bodies to deal with the nuclear issue.

 The two resolutions adopted include:

Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons and Reducing Nuclear Danger under the Nuclear weapons cluster.The adoption of resolutions shows India’s commitment towards the goal of nuclear disarmament.The aim is that a universal and legally binding agreement would generate the necessary global political will that can lead to the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

The resolution on Reducing Nuclear Danger which was tabled since 1998 puts focus on unintentional or accidental use of nuclear weapons and underscore the need for a review of nuclear doctrines.The resolution asks for concrete steps to reduce such risks, including through de-ing and de-targeting of nuclear weapons.

International Press Institute.

The International Press Institute (IPI) has recently highlighted that the impunity with which crimes against journalists are committed continued to rise as Governments had failed to probe the cases.

Highlights:

• It comes ahead of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists which is celebrated on 2nd November every year.

• The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the day in the General Assembly Resolution of December 2013.

• It urged the Member States to implement definite measures countering the culture of impunity. It was chosen in commemoration of the assassination of two French journalists in Mali on 2nd November 2013.

• IPI is a Vienna-based global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists who share a common dedication to quality, independent journalism.

 • To promote and protect press freedom and to improve the practices of journalism, 34 editors from 15 countries gathered at Columbia University and formed the global organization, in 1950.

• The year 2020 marks its 70th anniversary. The original Secretariat was set up in 1951 in Zürich (Switzerland), which was shifted to London in 1976 and then to Vienna in 1992.

• Its objectives are to promote conditions that allow journalism to fulfil its public function,he most important of which is the media’s ability to operate free from interference and without fear of retaliation and to defend media freedom and the free flow of news wherever they are threatened.

Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project.

Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the investment for 210 MW Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project.

It is located on River Satluj in Shimla and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh.

Key Points

It is being implemented by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) on Build-Own-Operate-Maintain (BOOM) basis with active support from Government of India and the State Government.

Government of India is providing grants of Rs. 66.19 crore for enabling infrastructure.

SJVNL has envisaged Internal Growth Targets of total installed capacity from all sources of 5000 MW by 2023, 12000 MW by 2030 and 25000 MW by the year 2040.

Significance:

This project will generate 758.20 million units of electricity annually, which will help in providing grid stability and improve the power supply position.

Besides adding valuable renewable energy to the grid, the project would also lead to a reduction of 6.1 lakh tons of carbon dioxide from the environment annually, thus contributing to an improvement in air quality and less air pollution.

 The construction activities will result in direct and indirect employment and will contribute to the overall socio-economic development of the State.

Himachal Pradesh will benefit with free power worth around Rs. 1140 crore, during the Project Life Cycle of 40 years.

The project affected families will be provided with 100 units of free electricity per month for ten years.

Ephemeral messaging.

‘Ephemeral messaging’ has made its way to WhatsApp.

The Facebook-owned messaging app has officially announced a new feature — ‘disappearing messages’ — to the platform, which will start rolling out to all users globally by this month.

So, what exactly are ‘disappearing messages,’ and why is WhatsApp introducing this feature to the app? We explain below:

What are disappearing messages?

Disappearing messages, as the name suggests, are messages that will disappear or automatically get deleted from a chat after sometime.

The idea of ‘ephemeral’ messages is not new, and WhatsApp is not the first app to offer this. Other encrypted messaging apps like Telegram, Signal, Wire already offer such an option.

Why is WhatsApp introducing this feature?

WhatsApp says this will bring a new level of privacy to the app. In a blogpost, the company said, “When conversations aren’t permanent, people can speak more freely and feel more comfortable being their authentic selves, whether that be their wacky side or being more honest about their feelings.

This is a huge step for WhatsApp as we introduce ephemerality to many people for the first time ever and help them experience a new level of privacy.

 Mansar Lake Development plan .

Mansar Lake Development Plan is getting fulfilled after a long wait of 70 years.

Mansar Lake:

• Situated at about 37 km from Jammu, Mansar is a lake fringed by forest -covered hills, over a mile in length by half-a-mile in width.

• Surinsar-Mansar Lakes are designated as Ramsar Convention in November 2005.

• With all religions belief and heritage behind the Mansar Lake is also picking up its fame among the tourists with all its flora & fauna.

• The lake has cemented path all around with required illumination, with projected view decks to enjoy flickering of seasonal birds, tortoise and fishes of different species.

• There is a wildlife Sanctuary housing jungle life like Spotted Deer, Nilgai etc. besides other water birds such as Cranes, Ducks etc.

Ramsar Convention:

• The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (better known as the Ramsar Convention) is an international agreement promoting the conservation and wise use of wetlands.

• It is the only global treaty to focus on a single ecosystem.

• The convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975. Traditionally viewed as a wasteland or breeding ground of disease, wetlands actually provide freshwater and food and serve as nature’s shock absorber.

• Wetlands, critical for biodiversity, are disappearing rapidly, with recent estimates showing that 64% or more of the world’s wetlands have vanished since 1900.

 • Major changes in land use for agriculture and grazing, water diversion for dams and canals and infrastructure development are considered to be some of the main causes of loss and degradation of wetlands.

Wildlife Board clears plan for vulture conservation.

The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has cleared a plan for conserving vultures.

The new plan has described strategies to stem decline in vulture population,especially of the three Gyps species:

1. Oriental white-backed vulture (Gypsbengalensis).

2. Slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris).

3. Long-billedvulture (Gyps indicus).

All three vulture species are listed as Critically Endangered by IUCN.

Key highlights of new plan:

A system to automatically remove a drug from veterinary use if it is found to be toxic to vultures.

A drug named Diclofenac, used to treat cattle, was linked to kidney failure in vultures and a decline in the bird’s population. The drug wasbanned in 2006 but it is reportedly still available for use.

A vulture conservation and breeding centre each at UP, Tripura, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

To establishment of four rescue centres, in Pinjore, Bhopal, Guwahati and Hyderabad.There are currently no dedicated rescue centres for treating vultures.

There would also be a conservation breeding programme for the Red Headed vulture and Egyptian vulture, and at least one Vulture Safe Zone in every State.

A database on emerging threats to vulture conservation, including collision and electrocution, unintentional poisoning, etc.