Comprehensive Current affairs 11 November 2020

Breach of previlege.

A breach of privilege is a violation of any of the privileges of MPs/Parliament (Article 105) or MLAs/Both thehouses of State Legislators (Article 194).

Any act that obstructs or impedes either House of the state legislature in performing its functions is treatedas breach of privilege.As there is no law enacted by the Parliament, breach of privileges are governed by the British Parliamentary conventions.

What is Parliamentary Privilege?

Parliamentary privilege refers to rights, immunities and exemptions enjoyed by Parliament as an institution and MPs in their individual capacity, without which they cannot discharge their functions as entrusted upon them by the Constitution.

When any of these rights and immunities are disregarded, the offence is called a breach of privilege and is punishable under law of Parliament.

A notice is moved in the form of a motion by any member of either House against those being held guilty of breach of privilege

 What are the Rules Governing Privilege?

The Constitution (Article 105) mentions two privileges,i.e. freedom of speech in Parliament and right of publication of its proceedings.

Rule No 222 in Chapter 20 of the Lok Sabha Rule Book and correspondingly Rule 187 in Chapter 16 of the Rajya Sabha rulebook governs privilege.

A member may, with the consent of the Speaker or the Chairperson, raise a question involving a breach of privilege either of a member or of the House.

The rules mandate that any notice should be relating to an incident of recent occurrence and should need the intervention of the House.

What is the Privileges Committee?

In the Lok Sabha, the Speaker nominates a committee of privileges consisting of 15 members as per respective party strengths.

A report is then presented to the House for its consideration.

The Speaker may permit a half-hour debate while considering the report.

The Speaker may then pass final orders or direct that the report be tabled before the House.

A resolution may then be moved relating to the breach of privilege that has to be unanimously In the Rajya Sabha, the deputy chairperson heads the committee of privileges, that consists of 10 members.

What is the Role of the Speaker/Rajya Sabha Chair?

The Speaker/RS chairperson is the first level of scrutiny of a privilege motion.

The Speaker/Chair can decide on the privilege motion himself or herself or refer it to the privileges committee of Parliament.

If the Speaker/Chair gives consent under Rule 222, the member concerned is given an opportunity to make a short statement.

Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) scheme.

The Government has reopened a window for online submission of documentation for subsidy claims under the previous versions of the Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) scheme.

TUFS was introduced in 1999 for providing credit linked capital investment subsidy for making globally competitive to the Indian textile industry and it has to reduce the capital cost for the textile industry.

In 2015, amended TUFS was launched with Aim of 'Make in India' and 'Zero Defect and Zero Effect' in manufacturing.

U.N. Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions.

Vidisha Maitra anIndian diplomat has been elected to the UN’s Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ).

• India has won with 126 UN members supporting her candidature for the only post for the Asia-Pacific group while 64 voted for the opposing candidate who was from Iraq.

• India’s permanent representative to the UN, TS Tirumurthy confirmed the news on Twitter.

• India has been a member of the committee since its inception in 1946. It is recognised as one of the most covetedcommittee in the United Nations system as it controls the financial and budgetary purse of the UN.

• India’s win in this committee comes as India also prepares to take a seat as one of 10 non-permanent members in the UN Security Council for a two-year period starting 1 January 2021.

• The ACABQ performs several functions including the examination of the budget submitted by the UN Secretary-General to the General Assembly and advising the Assembly on administrative and budgetary matters referred to it.

• The ACABQ is a crucial component in ensuring that resources of the Member states are used to good effect and that mandates are properly funded.

1982 Myanmar Citizenship Law .

The Myanmar Army Chief has said that the issue of the citizenship of Rohingya is solely a matter of domestic law.

• He said that the citizenship process in Myanmar is subject to the 1982 citizenship law which identifies only 135 indigenous ethnic groups and Bengalis or Rohingya are not among these.

• He further said that Myanmar does not object to the Rohingya living inside the Myanmar territory.

 • However, the issue of citizenship, definition of indigenous people and their rights are matters of domestic law.

• Refusing to accept international intervention, he said Myanmar is proceeding according to its own domestic law on this issue.

AIM–Sirius Innovation Programme 3.0.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Sirius, Russia, launched ‘AIM–Sirius Innovation Programme 3.0’– a 14-day virtual programme for Indian and Russian schoolchildren.

The first Indo-Russian bilateral youth innovation initiative, the AIM–Sirius programme seeks to develop technological solutions (both web- and mobile-based) for the two countries.

Innovations developed by the student teams will leverage 21st-century technologies such as app development, artificial intelligence, blockchain, machine learning, data analytics and visualization, UI/UX, virtual reality, augmented reality, gamification, 3D design, and rapid prototyping, among others.

AIM and Sirius’ mentors from the industry and academia will work closely with the teams.

Pardoning Powers of Governor

The Supreme Court has recently said that the investigation into the conspiracy behind Ex-PMs assassination in 1991 need not deter the Governor from deciding the plea for pardon of Convicts.

What did the Court Say Exactly?

• The court made it clear that it was reluctant to exercise its Jurisdiction when the Governor was already seized of convict’s plea for a pardon under Article 161 of the Constitution

Pardoning Powers of Governor:

• Article 161 deals with the Pardoning Power of the Governor.

• The Governor can grant pardons, reprieves, respites and remissions of punishments or suspend, remit and commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence against any law relating to a matter to which the executive power of the state extends.

• The Governor cannot Pardon a Death Sentence. (The President has the power of Pardon a death Sentence).

 • The Governor cannot grant pardon, reprieve, respite, suspension, remission or commutation in respect to punishment or sentence by a court-martial. However, the President can do so.

• Pardon: means completely absolving the person of the crime and letting him go free. The pardoned criminal will be like a normal citizen.

• Commutation: means changing the type of punishment given to the guilty into a less harsh one, for example, a death penalty commuted to a life sentence.

• Reprieve: means a delay allowed in the execution of a sentence, usually a death sentence, for a guilty person to allow him some time to apply for Presidential Pardon or some other legal remedy to prove his innocence or successful rehabilitation.

• Respite: means reducing the quantum or degree of the punishment to a criminal in view of some special circumstances, like pregnancy, mental condition etc.

• Remission: means changing the quantum of the punishment without changing its nature, for example reducing twenty-year rigorous imprisonment Ten Years.

Himachal Pradesh’s law against religious conversion.

Haryana Home Minister said that his government is considering a law against forced religious conversions and has sought information about such a law already in force in Himachal Pradesh.

• Last year, the Himachal Pradesh assembly passed the Freedom of Religion Bill, 2019.

• According to the Act, “no person shall convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any other person from one religion to another by use of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, inducement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage; nor shall any person abet or conspire such conversion”. The Act does not cover a person re-converting to his “parent religion”.

• It further says that any marriage done for the sole purpose of religion conversion may be declared null and void by a court on a petition by either party.

What happens if anyone wants to convert to any other religion?

As per the Act, anyone who wishes to convert to any other religion will give a declaration to the district authorities at least one month in advance, specifying that one is doing so as per his/her “own volition or free consent”.

In fact, even the religious priest who performs the conversion ceremony has to inform the authorities at least one month in advance. The district magistrate will then conduct an inquiry regarding the “intention, purpose and cause of proposed conversion”. The conversion will be rendered illegal if the authorities are not informed in advance.

The Act says that the burden of proof as to whether a religious conversion was not effected through force or fraud lies on the person so converted, or the person who has facilitated the conversion.

Provisions for punishment:

All offences under the Act are cognizable and non-bailable.

The violator can be punished with a prison term ranging from one to five years, along with a fine.

In case the victim is a minor, woman or member of a Scheduled Caste or Tribe, the imprisonment may extend up to seven years. Failure to declare the conversion in advance can also result in an imprisonment of up to two years.

Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment said, for the beneficiaries of Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana, the Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has done away with the requirement of submitting the claim on an Affidavit form, in a release.

The decision was taken after reports of many beneficiaries facing problems in submitting the claim on the Affidavit form emerged, the statement added.

The beneficiaries who have from now submitted their claims online under the Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana and submitted the scanned copies of their Aadhar card and other bank details will no longer be needed to file the claim on the Affidavit form.

The beneficiaries who have not even submitted the claim online can submit the print out of the claim after duly signing the required documents.

About:

The scheme was started in 2018 as a pilot scheme for a period of two years.

The Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana provides a fraction of the daily wages for a period of up to 90 days as a relief payment to those employees who have lost their jobs.

All the employees who are covered under Section 2(9) of the ESI Act can claim benefits under the scheme.

 World Science Day for Peace and Development.

The World Science Day for Peace and Development is celebrated every 10 November.

• It highlights the significant role of science in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues.

• It also underlines the importance and relevance of science in our daily lives.

• The Day offers the opportunity to mobilize all actors around the topic of science for peace and development – from government officials to the media to school pupils.

• UNESCO strongly encourages all to join in celebrating World Science Day for Peace and Development by organizing your own event or activity on the day.

• To celebrate the 2020 World Science Day, UNESCO is organizing an online roundtable on the theme of “Science for and with Society in dealing with COVID-19.

Plastic contamination in drinking tea from disposable paper cups.

Disposable paper cups are not safe for drinking tea.

According to IIT Kharagpur study, a person drinking three cups of tea in them will end up ingesting 75,000 tiny microplastic particles.

The research has confirmed contamination of the hot liquid served in paper cups due to the degradation of microplastics and other hazardous components from the lining material of the cup.

Paper cups are usually lined by a thin layer of hydrophobic film which is made of mostly plastic (polyethylene) and sometimes co-polymers to hold the liquid in the paper cup. Within 15 minutes this microplastic layer degrades as a reaction to hot water.

According to study, 25,000 micron-sized (10 μm to 1000 μm) microplastic particles are released into 100 mL of hot liquid (85 — 90 degrees C) residing in the paper cups for 15 minutes. Thus, an average person drinking 3 regular cups of tea or coffee daily, in a paper cup, would be ingesting 75,000 tiny microplastic particles which are invisible to the human eye.

The researchers followed two different procedures - in the first process, hot ultrapure (MilliQ) water (85—90 degrees C) was poured into the disposable paper cups, and it was allowed to sit for 15 minutes.

The scientists explained that the homogeneously mixed water was then analysed for the presence of microplastics as well as additional ions that may have leached into the liquid from the paper cups. In the second process, paper cups were initially dipped in lukewarm (30—40 degreesC) MilliQ water.

WWF Water Risk Filter.

Nearly a third of the 100 cities in the world susceptible to ‘water risk’ — defined as losses from battling droughts to flooding — are in India, according to the WWF Water Risk Filter.

What is Water Risk Filter?

• This is an online tool, co-developed by the Worldwide Fund for Nature that helps evaluate the severity of risk places faced by graphically illustrating various factors that can contribute to water risk. Launched in 2012, it is a practical online tool that helps companies and investors assess and respond to water-related risks facing their operations and investments across the globe.

• After a major upgrade in 2018, the Water Risk Filter 5.0 enables companies and investors to Explore, Assess, Value and Respond to water risks.

• Lately, the Water Risk Filter provides scenarios of water risks for 2030 and 2050, integrating climate and socio-economic changes in Different Pathways.

Highlights of the Recent Analysis:

• It reported 30 Indian cities that would face a ‘grave water risk’ by 2050 due to a dramatic increase in their population percentage to 51 per cent by 2050, from 17 per cent in 2020.

• Jaipur topped the list, followed by Indore and Thane. Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi also featured on the list.

• The global list includes cities such as Beijing, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Istanbul, Hong Kong, Mecca and Rio de Janeiro. China accounts for almost half the cities.

Major Recommendations:

• The future of India’s environment lies in its cities. As India rapidly urbanizes, cities will be at the forefront both for India’s growth and for sustainability.

• For cities to break away from the current vicious loop of flooding and water scarcity, nature-based solutions like restoration of urban watersheds and wetlands could offer solutions.

• Urban watersheds and wetlands are critical for maintaining the water balance of a city, flood cushioning, micro-climate regulation and protecting its biodiversity, the report  notes.

Comprehensive Current affairs 8 November 2020

Second National Water Awards to be conferred.

Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenationis organising the 2ndNational Water Awards (NWAs) 2019 Distribution Ceremony through virtual platform.

The awards are given to motivate the individuals/organizations who are doing commendable work in the field of water resources conservation and management.

Also, it strives to create awareness among the people about importance of water and motivate them to adopt the best water usage practices.

About:

The award winners in different categories will be given a citation, trophy and cash prize.

The NWAs focuses on the good work and efforts made by individual and organisations across the country, and the government’s vision for the path to a ‘JalSamridh Bharat’.

 The event provides a good opportunity to start-ups as well as leading organisations to engage and deliberate with senior policymakers on how to further accelerate the ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’ in India.

The event also provides an occasion for all people and organisations to further cement a strong partnership and people engagement in water resources conservation and management activities.

Habeas Corpus petition.

Recently, Bombay High Court rejected Arnab Goswami's habeas corpus petition forimmediate release.

Habeas Corpus essentially means "you must have the body". This petition filed under Article 32 prays before thecourt to direct a particular individual or authority who has detained a person to produce the detenu before the court.

•This petition leads the court to determine validity of such detention. •Habeas corpus writ is a bulwark of individual liberty against arbitrary detention.

•It can be issued against both public authorities as well as private individuals.

United Nations Industrial Development Organisations.

United Nations Industrial Development Organisations (UNIDO) has been closely working with India to implement UN’s activities in harmony with national policy priorities and development strategies.

The UNIDO Regional Office in New Delhi acts as a focal point to promote UNIDO’s mandate of inclusive and sustainable industrial development in India.

As UNIDO Representative has said that Regional Cluster concept of economic development is playing an important role in Indian success story.

India is doing pretty well in the energy environment sector with lot of innovation.

22% funds for migrant scheme left unused.

Latest data shows only 78% funds for scheme i.e., Rs 38,921 crore out of Rs 50,000 crore used.

Garib Kalyan RojgarAbhiyaan (GKRA) launched on 20th June, 2020.

It is a 125-day Abhiyan with a mission toaddress the issues of returnee migrant workers and similarly affected rural population by Covid-19 pandemic.

25 work areas have been identified for employment in villages, for development of various works like ruralhousing for the poor, Plantations, provision of drinking water through Jal Jeevan mission, Panchayat Bhavans etc

Shivalik Elephant Reserve.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has recently asked the Uttarakhand Government to consider avoiding sensitive areas of the Shivalik Elephant Reserve while exploring land suitable to use for the expansion of Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport.

Highlights:

• The area proposed for the expansion, is a part of the Shivalik Elephant Reserve and it falls within a 10-km radius of Rajaji National Park.

• Children and social activists have tied protective strings around the trees marked to be cut, similar to the Chipko movement of the 1970s, when villagers in Chamoli hugged trees to stop contractors from felling them.

• The expansion will threaten hundreds of species of fauna in Thano (near Rajaji National Park) and the elephant corridor nearby.

• The State also falls in seismic Zone IV and V, as per the Earthquake Zoning Map, and uprooting Thano will lead to soil erosion, a factor that exacerbated the 2013 Kedarnath floods, endangering countless lives.

 • The social activists had criticised Chardham Pariyojana on environmental grounds. It is a programme taken up by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for connectivity improvement for Chardham (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri) in

Uttrakhand. The Supreme Court upheld the 2011 order of the Madras High Court (HC) on the Nilgiris elephant corridor, affirming the right of passage of the animals and the closure of resorts in the area.

About Shivalik Elephant Reserve:

• It was notified in 2002 under the ‘Project Elephant’. Project Elephant was launched by the Government of India in the year 1992 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with following objectives are to protect elephants, their habitat & corridors, to address issues of man-animal conflict and welfare of captive elephants.

• The Kansora-Barkot Elephant Corridor is located near to it. It is considered to have one of the highest densities of elephants found in India.

• The Indian elephant (Elephas Maximus) occurs in the central and southern Western Ghats, North-east India, eastern India and northern India and in some parts of southern peninsular India. As per the Elephant Census, 2017, Karnataka has the highest population of Indian elephants.

• It is included in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES).

• It is ‘Endangered’ as per the IUCN Red List.

Himalayan Brown Bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus).

A study conducted by scientists of the Zoological Survey of India on the Himalayan brown bear has recently predicted a significant reduction in suitable habitat and biological corridors of the Himalayan brown bear due to climate change.

Highlights:

 • The study titled ‘Adaptive spatial planning of protected area networks for conserving the Himalayan brown bear’ was carried out in the Western Himalayas.

• It has predicted a decline of about 73% of the bear’s habitat by the year 2050. The total habitat loss can make 8 out of 13 PA completely uninhabitable by 2050.

• The western Himalaya where significant brown bear population is distributed is most vulnerable to global warming as this elevation belt is getting warmer faster than other elevation zones of Himalayas.

• To keep a check on this, scientists have recommended preemptive spatial planning of PAs in the Himalayan region for the long-term viability of the species.

• The spatial planning of PAs is aimed at minimising the risks and uncertainty of climate change.

• Spatial Planning is an activity centered on making decisions relating to the location and distribution of land use activities. It allows monitoring of changes, both in climate and socio-economic situations.

About Himalayan Brown Bear

• Its range is North-western and central Himalaya, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China and Bhutan.

• Its habitat is High altitude open Valleys and Pastures.

• Its protected status are IUCN Red List- Critically endangered, CITES - Appendix I and Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 - Schedule 1.

• It is an Omnivorous animal. Its threats are Human-animal conflict, rapid habitat loss, poaching for fur, claws and organs and, in some rare cases, Bear Baiting.

Gov Tech-Thon 2020.

Gov-Tech-Thon 2020, 36 hours, pan-India virtual hackathon organized by IEEE, National Informatics Centre (NIC)and Oracle, under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, witnessed a successful conclusion on 1st November, 2020.

The virtual hackathon received registrations from over 1300 aspirants forming 390 teams. The hackathon webpage witnessed over 15,000 visitors in 2 weeks.

The five challenges seeking innovative solutions from Gov Tech-Thon 2020 were

Suggest alternate crops or crop rotation for farmers during different seasons using artificial intelligence technology, considering the terrain and local challenges to increase the productivity.

Seed supply chain is a complex ecosystem involving various stakeholders. Address the issues of poor seed quality effectivelybytracing the seeds using BlockChain technology.

A mobile / web-based application for scanning, resizing and uploading documents (as required) in a single flow.

A tool for monitoring online exams from homes / institutions through a combination of remote-supervision software and web cam. System should ensure necessary authentication, control, fraud detection and compliance, using appropriate technology like AI / ML etc.

A self-learning tool for automating Vehicle Fitness Test procedures transparently.

To promote growing crops vertically to feed the growing population

The forthcoming decades pose multiple challenges of global food security, bio-energy supply, drastic climatic change, water shortages and sustained economic growth.

Unarguably, the demand for food will continue to grow. Food production must more than doubleitself in the next 40 years.Japan has been one of the early pioneers in vertical farming.

About:

Vertical farming is the practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers.

It often incorporates controlled-environment agriculture, which aims to optimize plant growth, and soilless farming techniques such as hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics.

Advantages:

Vertical farming uses significantly less water and pesticides than traditional agricultural methods.

Being indoors, the crops aren't subject to seasons and hence give high productivity year-round. Lettuces, tomatoes and green crops can be produced through this practice.

Disadvantages:

The initial cost for establishing the verticalfarming system is too high.

To findings Pollination would be very difficult and costly.

Need to involve higher labour costs due to involve skilledworkforce will be unavailable initially.

Uninterrupted power supply required for vertical farming technology.

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.