About tabletop runway

Tabletop runways are generally constructed on a hilly or an elevated terrain. Such

airports are built in such a way that there is a trench or valley at the front and back of
the length of the runway. Or we can say that tabletop runways are located on top of a
hill or a plateau with deep gorges running down their sides and are a stiff ask in poor
weather conditions.

And so an accurate landing is very important. Tabletops are very tricky and are challenging even
for the best of pilots. In such conditions, the slightest lapse can lead to fatal crashes. A pilot
with national carrier Air India Ltd said "If visibility is poor and there are tailwinds, landing on a
tabletop airport becomes a challenge."

Tabletop airports in India

At least five airports in India have tabletop runways namely Mangalore in Karnataka,
Kozhikode in Kerala, Lengpui in Mizoram, Shimla in Himachal Pradesh and Pakyong in
Sikkim. 

The safety concerns were first raised by following the Air India Express crash in
Mangalore in 2010 in which around 160 people killed on board.

The report of 2010 has cautioned of operations at such 'critical airfields'. Certain
airfields were classified by DGCA as critical which need a special qualification for the
flight crew to undertake operations. There are several factors on which basis airfields
are classified as critical including terrain, length of the runway, a predominance of
inclement weather, etc. And on this basis around 11 such airfields which include the
tabletop runways including Mangalore, Kozhikode, and Lengpui and in addition airfields
like Patna, Jammu, Leh, Port Blair, etc. are also qualify as 'critical airfields'.

Why are tabletop runways dangerous?

Firstly, such runways design is like that they have dangerous starts and ends. Pilots
need excellent training to land on them. They can be hazardous also, no matter the
weather or time of day. Another reason can be that the way the runways line up with the
horizon and edge of the mountain creates an optical illusion that hides the drop. If pilots
don't have experience at an airport might misjudge the remaining length of the runway
and accidentally overshoot. At these runways, aircraft coming to land need to be extra
careful and ensure that they hit the exact mark to land that is not too early and also not
too late.

Do you know that a court of inquiry following the Mangalore crash recommended
setting up an independent Indian Civil Aviation Safety Board (ICASB) urgently due to the
rapid growth of aviation in the country? The aim of ICASB is to focus on all flight safety-
related issues to suggest proactive measures to minimise accidents and incidents.
Such type of Independent safety organisations has been set up like in the USA, UK,
Canada, France, and Indonesia, etc.

Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council (CASAC) one of the member Captain Mohan
Ranganathan had also pointed that runway 10 of the Kozhikode airport could be risky
for landing in tailwind conditions in rain. He also said that the airport does not have the
minimum runway end safety areage.

So now you may have come to know about the tabletop airport and why are they
dangerous.

Surrogacy in India: History, Impact on poor and facts

What is Surrogacy?
The 'Surrogate" word has its origin within the Latin term Surrogatus' meaning a woman
acts as a substitute for another woman. It is a method of assisted reproduction or
assisted reproductive technology (ART) where on behalf of another person or couple a
woman or the surrogate offers to carry a baby through pregnancy and then return the
baby to the intended parent(s) once it is born and also in return will get compensation
as agreed. 

No doubt it is a highly complex process and there are several important steps to ensure
that both parties make the best decisions. In surrogacy, an embryo is created using an
egg and sperm that is produced by the intended parent(s) or donors and is transferred
into the uterus of the surrogate. There is no genetic link to the surrogate with the child.
Her eggs cannot be used to conceive the child.

List of major labour laws in India: A Brief Introduction

History behind Surrogacy
In 2002, commercial surrogacy or informally 'Rent a Womb' practice, was legalised in
India. It was done to promote medical tourism in India and after this decision, India
became "the hub of surrogacy". The main reason being the low cost in India that is in
the U.S it cost approx $100,000 and also the absence of strict legislation. As per the CII
report 2012, the size of India's surrogacy industry was $2 billion a year. And it was
estimated that more than 3,000 fertility clinics were engaged in this across the country.

The unregulated business of surrogacy raised concerns like unethical practices, due to
it the middlemen and commercial agencies profited most, exploitation of surrogate
mothers, abandonment of children born out of surrogacy, rackets like organ trade,
embryo import, etc. That is why legislation to regulate surrogacy in the country came in
to force.

What are the recommendations of the Law Commission of India?

It highlighted that there is a need to enact a law to regulate commercial surrogacy. The
LCI in the 208th report recommended prohibiting commercial surrogacy. Reasons were:
- Use of surrogacy prevalently by the foreigners.
- Lack of a proper legal framework.
- Surrogate mother exploitation may have been coerced to become a surrogate due to
poverty and lack of education.
Therefore in 2015, the notification of the government of India prohibited surrogacy for
foreign nationals. In Lok Sabha, the first Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill was introduced in
2016 and lapsed after Parliament was dissolved. 

The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha 15 July, 2019  and
passed by Lok Sabha on 5 August, 2019. Further, for more discussion, it was referred to
a Select Committee.

Let us have a look at the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019

At national as well as state levels there will be Constitution of surrogacy boards and it
allows only ethical altruistic surrogacy. 

Who will be eligible for Surrogacy?

Indian married couples for at least five years. They have to provide a certificate of
essentiality and also a certificate of eligibility. Also, they have to undertake that they will
not abandon the child born out of surrogacy.

Who can be a surrogate mother?

A close relative of the intending couple, the woman must be married having a child of
her own and she should be between the age of 25-35 years. No previous surrogacy.

Insurance coverage for some time to cover not only the period of pregnancy but after
that also for surrogate mother. The Bill also seeks to manage the functioning of
surrogacy clinics. Further, surrogacy clinics in the country need to be registered. When it
comes to surrogacy then no sex selection can be done. 
What are the reasons behind banning Indian Surrogacy?
- When an Indian surrogacy first became a booming industry, there were no regulations
in place, and unsafe and unethical practices developed in response. 

- Surrogate mothers are subjected to unethical treatment, poor living conditions, and
exploitation.

- Due to the demand from international intended parents, Indian surrogacy agencies
effectively ran "baby factories". Here, Indian women were forced to live until they gave
birth to the intended parent's babies with no assistance for the family and they had left
behind while pregnant.

- It is also said that the surrogates in India received a fraction of the expenses that
intended parents paid the surrogacy agency about $4000 to $5000 for compensation. 

-Surrogates were exploited in commercial surrogacy.

- For the financial gain, their poverty and lack of education drew them again and again
into the surrogacy process. As a result, their health decline as they effectively became
"baby-making machines" year after year. 

- Surrogate mothers don't even receive the kind of supportive services that need for
themselves and their family during this emotional journey.

Due to all these reasons, the Indian government attempted to take steps to make the
process safe for all involved. 

Let us have a look at the international level

- Altruistic surrogacy is allowed in Canada, Britain, Australia, and Denmark.

- All forms of surrogacy are completely prohibited in France, Germany, Italy, Portugal,
and Bulgaria.

- Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine allow both altruistic and commercial
surrogacy.

- Some countries allow surrogacy like Kenya, Malaysia, and Nigeria but have no formal
law to regulate the practice.

- The laws related to surrogacy vary in the USA from state to state like surrogacy
friendly states like Arkansas, California, New Hampshire, etc .allow both commercial
and altruistic surrogacy. Commercial surrogacy is not allowed in New York and
Michigan completely forbids surrogacy agreements.

We can say that surrogacy is an important issue need to be discussed in detail.

What is COVID-19 D614G Strain and Where it is

found?
Deadly coronavirus itself is not enough that a new strain of coronavirus is detected in
Malaysia named D614G and found to be ten times deadlier or infectious than the
original Wuhan strain according to the country's Health Ministry

. गोवा के राज्यपाल सत्यपाल मलिक तबादला कर किसका राज्यपाल नियक्

ु त किया गया है ?
उत्तर : मेघालय। 
२. किस दे श की सेना ने विद्रोह करके राष्ट्रपति इब्राहिम बाउबकर कीता को हिरासत में ले
लिया जिसके कारण दे श के राष्ट्रपति ने अपने पद से इस्तीफा दे दिया है ?
उत्तर : माली। 
3. आईपीएल 2020 टाइटल स्पोंसरशिप के लिए किस कंपनी ने दिसंबर तक 222 करोड़ रूपए
में राइट्स ख़रीदे हैं?
उत्तर : ड्रीम-11 .
4. निर्वाचन चुनाव आयुक्त ने अपने पद से इस्तीफा दे दिया है उनका नाम क्या है ?
उत्तर : अशोक लवासा। 
5. डेमोक्रेटिक पार्टी ने औपचारिक रूप से किसे राष्ट्रपति पद के लिए नामित किया है ?
उत्तर : जो बिडेन। 
6. किस फुटबॉल क्लब ने पहली बार चैम्पियंस लीग के फाइनल में जगह बनाई है ?
उत्तर : पेरिस सेंट जर्मेन (PSG)
7. दनि
ु याभर में आज के दिन को किस दिवस के रूप में मनाया जाता है ?
उत्तर : वर्ल्ड फोटोग्राफी डे। 
8. भारत में अब तक कोरोना वायरस से संक्रमितों की संख्या कितनी हो गयी है ?
उत्तर : 27,67,273 (52,889 मौतें )
9. सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने किस अभिनेता मौत की जाँच के लिए केस सीबीआई के हाथों सौंपने का
आदे श दिया है ?
उत्तर : सुशांत सिंह राजपत
ू । 
10. किस भारतीय क्रिकेटर का नाम खेल मंत्रालय ने राजीव गाँधी खेल रत्न के लिए भेजा है ?
उत्तर : रोहित शर्मा। 
18 अगस्त 2020
1. शास्त्रीय संगीत के प्रसिद्ध गायक का 90 वर्ष की उम्र में निधन हो गया है , उनका नाम क्या
है ?
उत्तर : पंडित जसराज। 
2. केंद्रीय गह
ृ मंत्रालय (MHA) ने किस रे लवे स्टे शन का नाम बदलकर बनारस करने को
मंजूरी प्रदान कर दी है ?
उत्तर : मंडुआडीह रे लवे स्टे शन। 
3. सीबीआई के पूर्व विशेष निदे शक राकेश अस्थाना को किसका महानिदे शक नियुक्त किया
गया है ?
उत्तर : सीमा सुरक्षा बल (BSF)। 
4. किस मैसेजिंग ऐप ने अपनी 7 वीं सालगिरह पर वीडिओ कॉलिंग सपोर्ट जारी किया है ?
उत्तर : टे लीग्राम। 
5. बांग्लादे श की तीस्ता नदी परियोजना के लिए किस दे श ने 01 बिलियन कर्ज दे ने की घोषणा
की है ?
उत्तर : चीन। 
6. राष्ट्रपति ने नोटिफिकेशन जारी कर किस मंत्रालय का नाम शिक्षा मंत्रालय (ऑफिसियल
रूप से) कर दिया है ?
उत्तर : मानव संसाधन विकास मंत्रालय। 
7. बॉलिवुड के मशहूर फिल्म निर्देशक, निर्माता एवं अभिनेता का निधन हो गया उनका नाम
क्या है ?
उत्तर : निशिकांत कामत। 
8. भारत में अब तक कोरोना वायरस से संक्रमितों की संख्या कितनी हो गयी है ?
उत्तर : 27,02,743 (51,797 मौतें )
9. किस आपीएस अधिकारी को गह
ृ मंत्रालय के आंतरिक मामलों के लिए विशेष सचिव
नियक्
ु त किया गया है ?
उत्तर : वीएसके कौमुदी। 
10. दनि
ु या के टॉप 10 अमीरों की लिस्ट में रिलायंस इंडस्ट्रीज के चेयरमैन खिसककर किस
स्थान पर पहुँच गए हैं?
उत्तर : छठवें। 
17 अगस्त 2020
1. किन दो भारतीय क्रिकेटरों ने अंतर्राष्ट्रीय क्रिकेट से सन्यास ले लिया है ?
उत्तर : महें द्र सिंह धोनी एवं सुरेश रै ना। 
2. यूपी सरकार में कैबिनेट मंत्री एवं पूर्व क्रिकेटर का कोरोना के कारण निधन हो गया है ?
उत्तर : चेतन चौहान। 
3. सेबी ने किन तीन वित्तीय संस्थान-एसबीआई, एलआईसी एवं बैंक ऑफ़ बड़ौदा पर कितने
लाख का जुर्माना लगाया है ?
उत्तर : १ 0-१० लाख रूपए। 
4. बिहार सरकार में मंत्री को जेडीयू ने पार्टी से निकाल दिया है उनका नाम क्या है ?
उत्तर : श्याम रजक। 
5. केंद्रीय मंत्री स्मति
ृ ईरानी ने आंगनबाड़ी के लिए किस नए ऐप को जारी किया है ?
उत्तर : सखी ऐप। 
6. जम्मू कश्मीर के किन दो शहरों में तत्काल प्रभाव से परीक्षण के आधार पर 4G सेवा बहाल
कर दी गयी है ?
उत्तर : गांदरबल एवं उधमपुर। 
7. न्यज
ू ीलैंड में कोरोना के मामले मिलने के कारण आम 19 सितम्बर को होने वाले आम
चुनाव को कब तक के लिए आगे बढ़ा दिया गया है ?
उत्तर : 17 अक्टूबर। 
8. भारत में अब तक कोरोना वायरस से संक्रमितों की संख्या कितनी हो गयी है ?
उत्तर : 26,47,667 (50,921 मौतें )
9. लुईस है मिल्टन ने किस फार्मूला-1 रे स को जीतकर अपने करियर की 88 वीं जीत दर्ज की
है ?
उत्तर : स्पेनिश ग्रां प्री। 
10. रक्षामंत्री राजनाथ सिंह ने किसको 173 सीमावर्ती एवं तटीय जिलों तक विस्तार को मंजरू ी
दे दी है ?
उत्तर : राष्ट्रीय कैडेट कोर (एनसीसी) .
14 अगस्त 2020
1. सप्र
ु ीम कोर्ट ने लॉकडाउन के बाद बेचे गए किन वाहनों के सशर्त पंजीकरण को मंजरू ी दे दी
है ?
उत्तर : बीएस-4 .
2. उत्तर प्रदे श माध्यमिक शिक्षा परिषद ने कब से 10 वीं एवं 12 वीं कक्षाओं की ऑनलाइन
क्लासेस शुरू करने के निर्णय लिया है ?
उत्तर : 18 अगस्त। 
3. भारत की पहली कोविड-19 वैक्सीन covaxin का दस
ू रा ट्रायल कब से शुरू होगा?
उत्तर : सितम्बर 2020 .
4. हरियाणा कैबिनेट ने कब से हरियाणा विधानसभा का मानसून सत्र शुरू करने की घोषणा की
है ?
उत्तर : 26 अगस्त से। 
5. जम्मू कश्मीर में कब से वैष्णों दे वी यात्रा शुरू करने की घोषणा की गयी है ?
उत्तर : 15 अगस्त से। 
6. किन दो दे शों ने अपनी दश्ु मनी को ख़त्म करके 49 साल बाद शांति समझौते पर हस्ताक्षर
किये हैं?
उत्तर : यूएई एवं इजराइल। 
7. गाजियाबाद के किस पर्व
ू सांसद का कोरोना के कारण निधन हो गया है ?
उत्तर : सुरेंद्र गोयल। 
8. भारत में अब तक कोरोना वायरस से संक्रमितों की संख्या कितनी हो गयी है ?
उत्तर : 24,61,190 (48,040 मौतें )
9. न्यायमूर्ति अरूण मिश्रा, न्यायमूर्ति बी आर गवई और न्यायमूर्ति कृष्ण मुरारी की पीठ ने
किसे सुप्रीम कोर्ट की अवमानना मामले में दोषी करार दिया है ?
उत्तर : वरिष्ठ वकील प्रशांत भष
ू ण। 
10. इंटरनैशनल गोरमें ड कुक बक
ु अवार्ड 2020 से लेखिका राधा भाटिया को उनकी किस
रचना के लिए सम्मानित किया गया है ?
उत्तर : लस्सी।