Daily News Simplified - DNS

09 05 20
Notes
SL. THE HINDU
TOPICS
NO. PAGE NO.
Green tribunal directs LG Polymers to deposit 50 cr + NGT cites archaic law in
1 01 & 08
gas leak case

2 Contempt for labour + Eight political parties pan dilution of labour laws 06 & 08

3 Shaping India’s response in a global hinge moment 06

4 Summary for Prelims

Dated: 09-May-2020 DNS Notes

Title 1. Green tribunal directs LG Polymers to deposit 50 cr + NGT cites archaic law in gas leak case
(The Hindu – Pg. 01 & 08)
Syllabus Prelims: Environment & Science & technology
Theme Pollution
Highlights Context

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday directed LG Polymers India to deposit an initial amount of 50
crore for the damage caused by the gas leak at its plant in Vishakhapatnam, which left at least 11 people
dead and a affected several others.

It also constituted a five member fact finding committee

The Committee may specifically report on the sequence of events, causes of failure and the persons and
authorities responsible, the extent of damage to life, human and nonhuman, public health and the
environment, including water, steps to be taken for compensation of victims and restitution of the
damaged property and environment and the cost involved.

“Leakage of hazardous gas on such a scale, adversely affecting public health and environment, clearly at-
tracts the principle, ‘strict liability’, against the enterprise engaged in hazardous or inherently dangerous
industry.

The principle of strict liability imposes legal responsibility for damages or injuries caused by hazardous
substances in his premises even if the person did not act with fault or negligence.
Strict liability, evolved in an 1868 English case called Rylands versus Fletcher. Under the “strict liability
principle”, a party is not liable and need not pay compensation if a hazardous substance escapes his
premises by accident or by an “act of God’” among other circumstances.

According to the absolute liability rule, no exceptions of strict liability shall apply in certain cases.
Therefore, the people who cause damage will have unlimited liability to compensate victims adequately.
Courts in India have applied this rule in many cases to create deterrence
That liability standard has been laid down by the Indian Supreme Court in M.C. Mehta v. Union of India
(Oleum Gas Leak Case). The principle of absolute liability is part of Article 21 (right to life).

Styrene gas was defined as a hazardous chemical under Manufacture, Storage And Import Of Hazardous
Chemical (Amendment) Rules. NGT has notes that the rules require onsite and offsite emergency plans to
ensure prevention of damage. There appears to be failure to comply with rules and other statutory
provisions.”

• Styrene has to be stored in gas tanks under 20°C to keep it stable.

• The temperature has to be continuously monitored, and any exposure to light or heat
may result in polymerization.
• If temperature rises, inhibitors have to be added to keep the styrene stable.
• As a safety measure, the styrene tanks are never filled to capacity.

A statement from LG Polymers said that stagnation and changes in temperature inside the storage tank
could have resulted in auto polymerization and could have caused vaporization.

“The statutory authorities responsible for authorising and regulating such activities may also be
accountable for their lapses, if any, in dealing with the matter,”

The company obtained permission over the phone to restart the factory two days back. The factories
Dated: 09-May-2020 DNS Notes

inspector and PCB (Pollution Control Board) did not inspect the plant that has been lying idle for 40 days.

LG Polymers handed over critical operations to untrained casual workers. There are only 50 permanent
workers while contract and casual workers number around 350. When the leak happened, there were
only 15 workers on site and all were casual staff with no experience in re-starting a polymer plant,”

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Title 2. Contempt for labour + Eight political parties pan dilution of labour laws
(The Hindu Pg. No. 6 & pg no 8 )
Syllabus Prelims: Social Issues
Theme Labour Issues
Highlights
Madhya Pradesh has embarked on a plan to give a boost to business and industry by allowing units to be
operated without many of the requirements of the Factories Act — working hours may extend to 12
hours, instead of eight.

Uttar Pradesh has approved an ordinance suspending for three years all labour laws, save a few ones
relating to the abolition of child and bonded labour, women employees, construction workers and
payment of wages, besides compensation to workmen for accidents while on duty.

Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab have extended the
working hours from eight to 12 without amending the Factories Act.

Suspension of provisions of the Factor act 1948 may result in nullification of even elementary duties of
factories such as providing drinking water, first aid boxes and protective equipment, cleanliness,
ventilation, lighting, canteens, restrooms and crèches.

State has used Section 5 of the Act, which permits exemption from its provisions for three months at a
time. However, this exemption can be given only during a ‘public emergency’, defined in a limited way
as a threat to security due to war or external aggression.
Dated: 09-May-2020 DNS Notes

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Title 3. Shaping India’s response in a global hinge moment

(Page number 06)
Syllabus Mains: GS Paper II – International Relations
Theme Foreign policy
Highlights Context :
o The current global scenario
o How should India choose to respond to China

Withdrawal of USA from global affairs due to “America First”

• From Paris deal
• From Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
• Truce in Afghanistan
• Certainly, it will no longer be the upholder of international order, economic or political, and
seems to have tired of that role.

Expansion of China
• Adventurism in South China Sea
• China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
• “Belt and Road” initiative.
• AIIB
• First overseas military base at Djibouti
• Gwadar, Hambontota and Kyakpyu

What should be India’s response to the new situation?

Form an alliance against the perceived enemy

Dated: 09-May-2020 DNS Notes

• ‘2+2’ foreign and defence ministers dialogue.

• India-US tri-service military exercise
• India as an integral part of the Indo-pacific narrative by the conception of Quad.
And all this ultimately leading to Comprehensive Strategic Global Partnership.

OR follow Follow strategic autonomy

How to tackle the “Chinese Dragon”

Bilateral engagements
• India-China Strategic economic dialogue
• second India-China informal summit held at Mamallapuram
• India-China Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum
• India-China Drug Regulation Forum

Striking cordial relation in the neighborhood

India must work with other powers to ensure that its region stays multi-polar and that China behaves
responsibly.
• East Asia Submit
• ASEAN +6
• Possible India, Indonesia, Australia trilateral alliance.
• UNCLOS

Utilise the most of US-China spat

• New trade opportunities

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Dated: 09-May-2020 DNS Notes

Title 4. Summary for Prelims

Highlights $500 Million Loan from AIIB - The Government of India has taken a $500 million loan from the Asian
Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to support its emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is part of a $1.5 billion project being co-financed by the World Bank.

AIIB
• A multilateral development bank and was established in 2015 as one of the financing arms of
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• AIIB aims to boost infrastructure connectivity in Asia and beyond.
• Membership in the AIIB is open to all members of the World Bank or the Asian Development
Bank and is divided into regional and non-regional members.
• It’s headquarter is in Beijing, China.
• China is the largest contributor to the Bank and India is the second-largest shareholder
•
GCC attempt to limit outbreak - Even as thousands of Non-Resident Indians are eagerly waiting to
return home, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations are attempting to limit the outbreak of COVID-
19 in different ways. GCC countries include 6 Sunni Monarchies of Middle East. It was established as an
entity against the rising Shia country namely Iran. GCC Countries include SAUDI ARABIA, UAE, BAHRAIN,
OMAN, QATAR & KUWAIT. It’s headquarter is in Riyadh.

India-Japan - Defence Ministers of India and Japan have agreed to work together with other countries to
deal with challenges post COVID-19, with the Japan and India Vision 2025 - Special Strategic and Global
Partnership as the basis to work together for Peace and Prosperity of the Indo-Pacific Region and the
World.
‘Vande Bharat Mission’ –India has launched a massive evacuation operation to bring back Indians
stranded in different parts of the world due to the coronavirus pandemic with the help of Air India and
Indian Navy. This should not be confused with Vande Bharat Express which is Semi High Speed Train.
Finance Minister has opened Rupee-Dollar Derivative Trading at GIFT City – The National Stock
Exchange’s subsidiary NSE IFSC, and the Bombay Stock Exchange’s India INX has launched Trading in
the Indian Rupee-US Dollar Futures & Options contact. It will help in creating a vibrant forex market in
India through participation of foreign portfolio investors, banking units located at the international
financial services centre, global banks and NRIs.
o GIFT City is India's first operational smart city and international financial services centre.
o A derivative is a contract between two parties which derives its value/price from an underlying
asset.

M.C. Mehta v. Union of India - A landmark judgment that changed the scope of Environment Law
in India
• The judgement enlarged the scope and ambit of Article 21 and Article 32 to include the right to
healthy and pollution-free environment.
• Absolute liability principle with no exceptions of strict liability was formulated by the Court.
Dated: 09-May-2020 DNS Notes

Section 5 of the Indian Factory Act 1948 permits exemption from its provisions for three months at a
time. However, this exemption can be given only during a ‘public emergency’, defined in a limited way
as a threat to security due to war or external aggression.

Polystyrene plastic is a naturally transparent thermoplastic that is available as both a typical solid plastic
as well in the form of a rigid foam material. It is inert, cost-effective and long-lasting.

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