Week 1 Current Affairs Update

1st- 7th August 2017

EVENTS

NATIONAL

ENVIRONMENT
Certain chemicals banned in recrackers
DATE: - 1st August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: To control and administer the usage of explosives
TARGET/APPLICATION: The Supreme Court of India has prohibited the
use of ve chemicals, labelled as toxic by the Central Pollution Control Board,
(CPCB) in the manufacture of recrackers ahead of the festive seasons of Dussehra
and Deepavali. The banned chemicals include antimony, lithium, mercury, arsenic
and lead in any form whatsoever. Lithium is a metal used to impart red colour in
reworks. Antimony is used to create glitter eects. Lead oxide provides a special
crackling eect which, if inhaled in high concentration can cause damage to the
nervous system. The responsibility is given to the Petroleum and Explosive Safety
Organisation (PESO).
PESO is an agency which issues licenses for Operation of Petrol Stations, Licenses
to operate Petroleum Product Transportation vehicles, Licenses for Reneries,
Petrochemical Complexes, etc. The Department is headed by Chief Controller of
Explosives and is headquartered at Nagpur in the State of Maharashtra in India. It
functions under DIPP. The order came after the court heard the submissions from
ocials of the CPCB and Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisations (PESO)
Firework Research and Development Centre at Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu.

SOCIAL

e-RaKAM Portal
DATE: - 2nd August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - To To ease the selling and buying process of agricultural
products
TARGET/APPLICATION: - The central government has launched a portal named
E-RaKAM (e-Rashtriya Kisan Agri Mandi), an easiest way to sell agricultural
products. It is a digital platform that enables farmers to sell their agricultural products
through auction.
The state-run auctioneer MSTC and Central Warehousing Corporation have jointly
launched the E-RaKAM portal. The main objective of this portal is to help farmers
to sell their products in larger market and get the good price of their products. Under
this initiative, e-RaKAM centres are being developed throughout the country in a
phased manner to facilitate farmers for online sale of their produce. The farmers
would get the payment for their products directly into their bank accounts without
any intermediaries.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Development of Radiation Technology

DATE: - 4th August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - To prevent post harvest loss of food and food grains
TARGET/APPLICATION: - Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has been actively engaged in R&D work on
the technology of preservation and hygiene of food and agri-products by radiation.
Irradiation is an eective method in treating horticultural products. Extension of
shelf life of horticultural produces is very much depended on the produce, variety
and storage conditions. For many fresh agri produce subjected to irradiation and
proper storage, substantial shelf life extension has been achieved.
Unique advantages of radiation processing are:
It signicantly increases the shelf life for many products including fruits,
vegetables, cereals, pulses, spices, sea foods and meat products.
Eective elimination of harmful bacteria, viruses and insects/pests.
Cold & clean process (No temperature raise or residue) and treatment done after
nal packaging (no repacking necessary).
In India, according to estimates, post-harvest losses is about 40-50%, primarily due
to insect infestation, microbiological contamination, physiological changes due to
sprouting and ripening, and poor shelf life. The wastage of fruits and vegetables
alone is about Rs. 60,000 crore annually. Including cereals, meat, pulses and owers,
the annual loss is estimated to be Rs. 2, 50,000 crores. Besides, there are a few low
levels of irradiation plants in the country, which are not adequate.
With irradiation, it is possible to reduce these losses. Recently, the harmonization of
food irradiation rules with the international regulation through adaptation of class
wise clearance of irradiated food items by the Food Safety and Standards Authority
of India (FSSAI) has taken place. India and Russia have also signed a pact to set up
25 integrated infrastructure centres for irradiation treatment of perishable food items
to improve shelf life and cut post-harvest losses.
ENVIRONMENT
Two new species of Cycas discovered
DATE: 7th August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: Helps in maintaining nitrogen xation and preventing soil
erosion
TARGET/APPLICATION: Research conducted on Cycas, a lone tree found in
the Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, West Bengal has revealed
two new species of cycas to the world i.e. Cycas pschannae and Cycas dharmraji.
Cycas is the type genus and the only genus recognised in the family Cycadaceae.
The Cycas is a very ancient genus of trees belonging to gymnosperms. The group
achieved its maximum diversity in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, when it was
distributed almost worldwide. At the end of the Cretaceous, the non-avian dinosaurs
became extinct, so did most of the Cycas in the Northern Hemisphere. They are often
referred as living fossils of the world.
Further research based on its morphological and anatomical characters led to the
discovery of new species Cycas pschannae and Cycas dharmraji in the Andaman &
Nicobar Islands. It has a well dened 10-28 hook like structuresin the apex of mega
sporophyll which makes it distinct from other Cycas plant. The sporophyll of Cycas
pschannae are characterised by the presence of two lateral horns like structure
FOOD SECURITY
BRICS Agricultural Research Platform
DATE: - 3rd August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - To promote sustainable agricultural development and provide
food security to the BRICS member countries
TARGET/APPLICATION: - The Union Cabinet signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) between India and various BRICS countries for establishment
of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Agricultural Research
Platform (BRICS-ARP). This will serve as a global platform for science led
agricultural based sustainable development for addressing the issues on world hunger,
undernutrition, poverty and inequality and enhancing agricultural trade. It will further
intensify cooperation among BRICS countries in agricultural research policy, science
& technology, innovation and capacity building including technologies in small areas
of farming in these countries.

SPACET

Traces of water found on WASP-121b exoplanet

DATE: - 7th August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - To analyse the change in the colour of the planet at dierent
wavelengths on its surface
TARGET/APPLICATION: - Astronomers using NASAs Hubble Space Telescope
have found an exoplanet WASP-121b which provides strongest evidence about the
existence of the stratosphere along with glowing water molecules on its surface. The
WASP-121b exoplanet is normally referred to as hot Jupiter. It has a mass and radius
of approximately 3.1 times larger than Jupiter. It is located nearly 900 light years
away from Earth. The discovery shows that common traits of the atmospheres in our
solar system can be found in the atmospheres of an exoplanet. The phenomenon can
be compared with the same processes that happen under dierent sets of conditions
in our own solar system.
 PEOPLE

NATIONAL

OBITUARY
Pushpa Mittra Bhargava
Born: - 28th February, 1928
Died: - 1st August, 2017
Background: - Veteran molecular biologi and a vehement critic of genetically
modied crops, Pushpa Mittra Bhargava, died at his home in Hyderabad. He is
survived by his son and daughter. Though Bhargava had ceased to be an active
researcher for over 20 years, he remained engaged with issues in science and
policy. A rident critic of multinational seed companies, Bhargava was opposed
to the introduction of genetically modied crops from cotton to brinjal and, mo
recently, transgenic muard in India.
Career: - Bhargava was born in Ajaymeru (Rajahan) in a middle-class family to
Dr. Ram Chandra Bhargava, a public health professional. When he was ten years old,
his family moved to Varanasi. He was formally admitted to Besant Theosophical
School in Varanasi. Until then he was under the tutelage of his grandfather at
home. After school, he completed intermediate from Queens College, one of the
be initutions in Uttar Pradesh at that time. He received his B.Sc. in 1944 with
Physics, Chemiry, Mathematics, and then obtained an M.Sc. degree in 1946 in
Organic Chemiry and Ph.D. in Synthetic Organic Chemiry from Lucknow
University.
Between 1950 and 1953, he worked r at the then Central Laboratories for
Scientic and Indurial Research, now called the Indian Initute of Chemical
Technology IICT and then at Osmania University. In 1953, he went to US on a
podoctoral fellowship in the McArdle Memorial Laboratory of Cancer Research.
In 1958, he returned to Hyderabad and joined the same Central Laboratories for
Scientic and Indurial Research, which was by now taken over by Council of
Scientic and Indurial Research (CSIR) and named Regional Research Laboratory
(now known as Indian Initute of Chemical Technology) as Scienti B. Mo of
his research career was carried out in Hyderabad where he eablished in 1977 the
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB).
He retired from the directorship of CCMB in 1990 to join the newly created CSIR
Diinguished Fellowship from which he was relieved in 1993. Bhargava set up
the Centre of Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad, Telangana.
CCMB is a research organization in areas of modern biology. It was set up initially
as a semi-autonomous centre on April 1, 1977, with the Biochemiry Division of
the then Regional Research Laboratory (presently, Indian Initute of Chemical
Technology, IICT), Hyderabad. During 198182, CCMB was accorded the atus of
a full-edged national laboratory with its own Executive Committee and Scientic
Advisory Council.

POLITY

Arvind Panagariya
Born: 30th September, 1952
Background: - Arvind Panagariya has resigned as the Vice Chairman of NITI
Aayog (National Institution of Transforming India). He resigned after his public
service leave for 2 years from Columbia University, where he was a professor of
Indian Political Economy. He was appointed as the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog
in January, 2015 and held cabinet minister rank.
Career: - Arvind Panagariya is an Indian-American economist and a professor of
economics at Columbia University, who has been serving as vice chairman to the
government of India from January 2015.
He was previously Chief Economist at the Asian Development Bank. He has also
been a professor of economics at the University of Maryland at College Park.
He has worked for the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade
Organization, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD). He holds a PhD in economics from Princeton University.
Panagariya has written or edited ten books. His most recent book, India: the Emerging
Giant, was published in March 2008. It was described as the denitive book on
the Indian economy by Fareed Zakaria. He has appeared on Bloomberg TV India
for the show Transforming India with Arvind Panagariya. On Jan 5, 2015, he
was appointed Vice-Chairman of the National Institution for Transforming India
Aayog, the replacement for the Planning Commission. Panagariya is also heading
and analysing the data of the Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011. He gave his
resignation as Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman stating that Columbia University has not
extended his leave beyond August 31 2017.
Venkaiah Naidu
Born: 1st July, 1949
Background: - Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu is an Indian politician and the Vice
President of India. He had served as the Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty
Alleviation, Urban Development and Information and Broadcasting in the Modi
Cabinet. A prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, he also served as its
national president from 2002 to 2004. Earlier, he was the Union Cabinet Minister
for Rural Development in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.
Career: - Naidu was born in the Nellore district of the Indian State of Andhra
Pradesh. He completed his schooling from V. R. High School, Nellore, and pursued
bachelors degree in politics and diplomatic studies from V. R. College. Later,
he acquired a bachelors degree in law with specialisation in international law
from Andhra University College of Law, Visakhapatnam. He was a swayamsevak
in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and joined ABVP during his college days.
He was elected as the president of the students union of colleges aliated to the
Andhra University. He came into spotlight for his prominent role in the Jai Andhra
Movement of 1972.
Both as a student leader and political gure, Naidu gained prominence as a brilliant
orator, who vigorously championed the cause of the farmers and the development
of backward areas. His oratory skills and political activism propelled his political
career and he was elected as an MLA to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
twice from Udayagiri constituency in Nellore district in 1978 and 1983. He rose to
become one of the most popular leaders of the BJP in Andhra Pradesh.
After serving in various organisational posts of the BJP at the state and national
level, he was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka in 1998.
He was re-elected twice, in 2004 and 2010, from Karnataka. He served as the
party spokesperson from 1996 to 2000, bringing to the job his panache for quirky
alliterations and similes.
Following the historic victory of the BJP in the 2014 general elections, he was
sworn in as the Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Aairs on 26
May 2014. Naidu is also involved with the Swarna Bharath Trust, a social service
organisation founded by him in Nellore. The trust runs a school for poor, orphaned
and special-needs children and imparts self-employment training programmes
especially for women and youth. He was nominated by the BJP on 29 May 2016
for the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan and was elected. A year later, he resigned from
both oces to contest the 2017 Vice President election. He won the election to
become Indias 13th Vice-President.
Rajiv Kumar
Background: - Economist Dr. Rajiv Kumar has been appointed as the new vice
chairman of the government think tank, NITI Aayog. Present vice chairman Arvind
Panagariya had stepped down in July 2017.
Career: - Dr. Kumar, who holds a PhD in economics from Oxford and Lucknow
University, has served as director and chief executive of the Indian Council for
Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), and has earlier worked
with the Asian Development Bank. He was also a senior fellow at the Centre for
Policy Research.
S. Aparna
Background: - S. Aparna, an IAS ocer from Gujarat cadre has been appointed as
Executive Director, World Bank to represent the constituency of India, Bangladesh,
Bhutan and Sri Lanka for three years. A 1988-batch IAS, she is currently Principal
Secretary to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. At the World Bank, she will
replace Subhash Garg, who was recently appointed Economic Aairs Secretary,
Ministry of Finance. Among the top positions she held in Gujarat includes Principal
Secretary, Economic Aairs, Surat Municipal Commissioner and Joint Secretary,
urban development at centre. Known for her integrity and focused approach, she
was the most inuential bureaucrat in the State administration under Mr. Rupani.

INTERNATIONAL

POLITY

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

Born: 27th December, 1958
Background: - Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was elected Prime Minister of Pakistan
after the resignation of outgoing Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after Panama Papers
case decision. He was elected by the National Assembly after defeating his rival
Naveed Qamar of PPP, by 221 votes to 47, addressing to the National Assembly
shortly after being voted into power by the lower house of the parliament. Abbasi
previously served as the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources in the third
Sharif ministry from 2013 to 2017 and briey held the cabinet portfolio of Minister
for Commerce in the Gillani ministry in 2008.
Career:- Abbasi was born on 27 December 1958 in Karachi, Pakistan to Khaqan
Abbasi. He received his early education in Karachi and later enrolled at the
Lawrence College in Murree. In 1978, Abbasi attended the University of California,
Los Angeles to study electrical engineering from where he attained his bachelors
degree and began his career as an electrical engineer. In 1985, he attended the
George Washington University gaining a masters degree in electrical engineering
and qualied for the professional engineer certicate.
After graduating from George Washington, he worked across dierent projects in
the United States during the 1980s before moving to Saudi Arabia where he joined
the oil and gas industry and became involved in various energy projects. Abbasi
began his political career after the death of his father Khaqan Abbasi in April 1988.
Abbasi was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan for the rst time in the
1988 general elections, as an independent candidate from Constituency NA-50
in Rawalpindi District. The seat was previously held by his father until his death.
After winning the election, he joined the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad.
On 28 July 2017, he had ceased to hold ministerial oce when the federal cabinet
that was disbanded following the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
after the Panama Papers case decision. A day later, Nawaz nominated his brother
Shehbaz Sharif as his successor but as Shehbaz was not a member of the National
Assembly, he could not be sworn in as Prime Minister. Therefore, Abbasi was
chosen by Nawaz Sharif as an interim Prime Minister for 45 days which would
allow signicant time for Shehbaz to contest elections from Nawazs vacated
constituency and be elected to the National Assembly.
 IDEAS

NATIONAL

HEALTHCARE
Using CRISPR to treat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy disease
DATE: 3 August, 2017
ISSUE/AGENDA: To Treat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy through gene editing
TARGET/APPLICATION: Scientists for the rst time have successfully
repaired a genetic mutation in human embryos by using a gene-editing tool called
CRISPR-Cas9. It has freed embryos of faulty DNA that causes deadly hereditary
heart disease. It potentially opens the door to preventing 10,000 disorders that are
passed down the generations.
Using CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology, scientists were able to repair
mutation in the MYBPC3 gene which causes a common heart condition called
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is marked by thickening of the heart muscle.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an inherited cardiac disease and the presence of
even one copy of the defective gene can cause symptoms, which usually manifest
as heart failure. There is currently no cure for the condition. The correction of the
mutation in the embryo using CRISPR-Cas9 has ensured that the child is born
healthy and the defective MYBPC3 gene is not passed on to future generations.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Humraaz app
DATE:- 4 August, 2017
ISSUE/AGENDA: - To review monthly salary slips, Form 16 and also download them.
TARGET/APPLICATION: - The Indian Army has developed Humraaz mobile
application through which serving soldiers can track details like postings and
promotions. The app will also enable soldiers to view their monthly salary slips,
Form 16 and also download them.
The Humraaz mobile app has been developed in-house by the Army. For security
reasons, its installation has been linked to verication of Aadhar detail. On installing
the app, serving soldiers will be veried with the Army database over National
Information Centre (NIC) cloud and they will get a one-time-password (OTP) on
their registered mobile number. For accessing the app, soldiers have to link their
latest mobile number to their Aadhar number.

SOCIAL

MahaDBT and MahaVASTU online portals

DATE: 6 August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: To streamline the process of direct benet transfer and to
bring transparency in the construction sector
TARGET/APPLICATION: Maharashtra Government has launched two online
portals MahaDBT and MahaVASTU to streamline the process of direct benet
transfer and to bring transparency in the construction sector. With this, Maharashtra
became rst state in the country to launch such a system that will provide direct
benets with Aadhaar authentication.
It is an Aadhaar-authenticated electronic mechanism that will enable direct
transfer of benets for over 40 schemes currently implemented by states various
departments. It is based on Union Governments DBT scheme and Aadhaar will be
mandatory to claim benets through this portal. It will help to speed up transfer of
benets and ensure transparency by minimising human intervention. MahaVASTU
portal is an online building permission management system, through which
construction approvals will be sanctioned with full transparency. It will bring all
building permissions online in all municipal councils of the state.

INTERNATIONAL
HEALTHCARE

Cancer can be treated using a bioactive compound

DATE: 1st August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: To treat cancer in children by using bioactive compound from
turmeric
TARGET/APPLICATION: Scientists from the United States have found that
curcumin, the bioactive compound from turmeric that is widely used in Indian
cuisine can treat cancer in children. They have found that nano-particles loaded
with curcumin can target and destroy neuroblastoma tumour cells which commonly
aect children aged ve or less.
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a type of cancer that forms in nerve tissue. It frequently
starts from one of the adrenal glands but can also develop in the neck, chest,
abdomen, or spine. In the study, scientists had attached curcumin to cerium oxide
nanoparticles and tested the formulation in cells lines of neuroblastoma. It was found
that curcumin-cerium formulation induced substantial cell death in neuroblastoma
cells while producing no or only toxicity in healthy cells.
The use of cerium oxide nanoparticles helps to remove curcumins low solubility
and poor stability which had earlier restricted its use in therapeutic applications and
can abort the undierentiated growth of the cancer cells. Symptoms may include
bone pain, a lump in the abdomen, neck, or chest, or a painless bluish lump under
the skin. Neuroblastoma is the most common cancer in babies and the third most
common cancer in children after leukemia and brain cancer.
SPACE
Israels rst environmental research satellite Venus
DATE: 3rd August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: To survey and monitor large areas including study of soil,
vegetation and other aspects of the environment
TARGET/APPLICATION: Israel has launched its rst environmental satellite
named as Venus (Vegetation & Environment Monitoring New Micro-Satellite).
It is a joint venture between the Israel Space Agency and its French counterpart
CNES. It was launched on board of Aianespace Vega launcher from the European
spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
Venus is an earth observation micro satellite and is considered to be the smallest
of its kind in the world. It weighs only 265 kilogram. It will be placed in sun
synchronized orbit at an altitude of 720 kilometres. It will circle the earth 28 times
each in 48 hours and will stay in commission for 4.5 years. The mini-satellite
is equipped with a special camera that can visualise details on earth that are not
visible to the naked eye.
The scientic mission will monitor Earths vegetation using a camera capable of
recording 12 innovative electric propulsion system based on the Israeli designed
Hall Eect Thrusters (HET). HET is a relatively low power device used to propel
a spacecraft after entering orbit or farther out into space. It will help to obtain high
resolution photographs of specic sites to track environmental conditions such as
erosion, desertication, pollution, natural disasters and other phenomena linked to
climate change.
 ISSUES

NATIONAL

SOCIAL

Rising temperatures drive up farmer suicides

DATE: 1 August, 2017
ISSUE/AGENDA: Increasing cases of farmer suicide due to climate change
resulting from rise in temperature
According research report from the University of California, US, climate change
may have led to over 59,000 farmer suicides over the last 30 years in India. The
study was carried out using data for all States and Union Territories. It tested the
link between climate change, crop yields and suicide by comparing the number
of suicides across India between 1967 and 2013 with crop yield and climate data.
Data on suicides were collected from the National Crime Records Bureau.
The increase in temperature during the cropping season reduces crop yields, re-
sulting in increased suicides. Even a 1C increase in temperature above 20 C in a
single day during the crop growing season results in about 70 suicides on average.
Similar increase in temperature during other seasons did not result in a rise in sui-
cides. Crop losses due to heat damage causes additional burden on farming house-
holds leading to suicides. Moreover, increase in rainfall by 1 cm during the grow-
ing season decreases about 0.8 deaths per 100,000, thus lowering the suicide rate
by 7% on average. The eect of climate variation has revealed that past growing
season temperature strongly inuences suicide rates in the following years up to
ve years. Farmer suicides need to be controlled in India through proper planning.

Ban on ecigarettes
DATE: - 4 August, 2017
ISSUE/AGENDA: - Use of ecigarettes cause cancer
The Union government is likely to ban ecigarettes following an expert committees
conclusion that they have cancer-causing properties, are highly addictive, and do
not oer a safer alternative to tobacco-based smoking products. An e-cigarette is a
battery-operated device that uses liquid nicotine, propylene glycol, water, glycerin
and avour to give a user the sense of smoking a real cigarette. The health ministry
is considering a ban on electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), of which
e-cigarette is a prototype, after the technical committee evaluated recent research
that said e-cigarettes were potentially lethal. A ban is also being considered as
e-cigarettes could weaken the public campaign to highlight the health hazards of
smoking.
In the absence of requisite provisions under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco
Products Act (COTPA), the health ministry is now examining other laws such as
the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and the Food Safety & Standards (Prohibition and
Restriction on Sales) Regulation, 2011, to eect a ban. COTPA does not have a
provision to ban and, therefore, we are faced with the challenge of nding a strong
provision. We are convinced about the harmful eects of e-cigarettes but if we
do not back it up with a strong provision under the law, then it will fall at in the
courts. Experts say liquid nicotine -the main ingredient in e-cigarettes -has still not
been registered as a drug in India and, therefore, the Centre could use the Drugs
and Cosmetics Act, 1940, to prohibit the sale of products containing it.
Stricter check for US yers with gadgets
DATE: - 7 August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - Security checks of personal electronic devices at airports
More vigorous security checks of personal electronic devices (PED) would be done
for passengers going from and within America. Like Indian airports where tablets
and laptops have to be taken out of hand bags and kept separately in trays for X-ray
screening, US airports will also start doing the same. Till now, only large PEDs
like laptops were required to be taken out there for being x-rayed separately while
smaller ones like iPads could stay in hand bags during security checks in the US.
Now Americas aviation security agency, Transportation Security Administration
(TSA), last week decided to implement new, stronger screening procedures for
carry-on items that require travellers to place all electronics larger than a cell phone
in bins for X-ray screening in standard lanes due to increased threat to security.
As new procedures are phased in, TSA ocers will begin to ask travellers to
remove electronics larger than a cell phone from their carryon bags and place them
in a bin with nothing on top or below, similar to how laptops have been screened
for years. This simple step helps TSA ocers obtain a clearer X-ray image. The
US had recently lifted the laptop ban on nonstop ights to the country from some
airports abroad like Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha.
ENVIRONMENT
Governments failure to ban plastic
DATE: - 1 August, 2017
ISSUE/AGENDA: - Plastic still in use despite governments decision to ban it
National Green Tribunal (NGT) slammed the Delhi government over an
indiscriminate use of plastic despite ban. A bench headed by NGT chairperson
Justice Swatanter Kumar has directed the government to strictly enforce its order,
which had banned the use of plastic in Delhi, and sought a status report on the
issue.
According to the order, any form of disposable plastic was banned, barring those
permitted in the new Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016. Plastics above 50
microns in thickness were permissible, however, those below it were banned and
the government was asked to take steps against their `storage, sale and use in the
capital from January 1, 2017. The tribunal had banned the use of disposable plastic
in Delhi and NCR last year which came into eect from January 1 this year. It had
also asked the government to take steps to reduce generation of waste and dump
yards in the capital. The use of plastic was prohibited in restaurants, hotels and for
public and private functions. NGT also levied an environment compensation of Rs
10,000 on vegetable vendors and slaughterhouses for throwing garbage on roads
and in public places. National Green Tribunal on Monday refused to modify its
order imposing a cost of Rs 2 lakh on the Delhi government for inordinate delay
in demarcation of forest land in the southern ridge area. The government needs to
take strong action to ban plastic.
False claims for Swachhta ranking
DATE: - 5 August, 2017
AGENDA/ISSUE: - False claims of Swachhta ranking to cost municipal bodies dear
False claims about sanitation infrastructure and their usage to improve rankings
in the Swachhta index will cost municipal bodies dear. If they are found to have
misrepresented data on parameters such as number of toilets constructed and
processing of waste, they stand not only to lose points, but could also get negative
marks during the ranking of cities in the next Swachhta survey scheduled for
January , 2018.
The new ranking of cities will be decided based on citizens feedback and
independent observation of sanitation unlike the last survey which relied more on
self-declaration and documentation by municipalities. The next survey will cover
4,041 cities and towns with total population of 40 crore. Until now municipal
documentation or self-declaration got a weightage of 45% while direct observation
by independent assessor got 25% and citizens feedback was 30%. Under the
revised criteria, the weightage to municipalities documentation has been reduced
to 35% while weightage for citizens feedback and independent assessors has been
raised by 5% each.
If claims of a city are found to be incorrect by independent assessors, they will get
33% negative marks besides zero marks in respect of such parameters. The survey
will also assess availability of water connections to toilets, recovery of operation
and maintenance costs of community and public toilets and other infrastructure. It
will take into account the liquid waste management.
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