15th April 2020 Current Affairs in English
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Daily Current affairs for Competitive
Exams ( UPSC, TNPSC, SSC)
15th APRIL 2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- PM extends lockdown till May 3;tougher restrictions at hotspot
- Longer lockdown essential to break chain of infection: govt.
- Teltumbde, Navlakha surrender to NIA
- Bhopal gas survivors left in the lurch
- 83% drop in rape cases during lockdown
- S. approves 2 missile deals with India
- ICMR suggests testing of pooled samples
- Local bodies told to give gear to sanitation workers
- Amid lockdown, hunters eye rhino horns
- App-based diesel delivery service reaches Haryana
- Coronavirus | Survey of India maps to bolster Arogya Setu app
1. PM extends lockdown till May 3; tougher restrictions at hotspot
Information in News
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced the extension of the current nationwide lockdown till May 3, with intensive containment measures at hotspots till April 20 in order for areas to qualify for any relief measures and freedom of mobility, especially for hawkers and daily-wage workers.
- He added that detailed guidelines on the contours of this extended lockdown would be issued by the government on Wednesday.
- The economic cost “may appear big, but is not so when compared to the lives of our citizens”.
- The government was making all efforts to help farmers with the ongoing rabi harvest and procurement and said the country had adequate stocks of both food and medicines.
- He said he wanted the country to follow seven steps or a new set of saptapadi (traditionally associated with a Hindu wedding ceremony).
Reference
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/lockdown-extended-till-may-3-says-modi/article31336519.ece
2. Longer lockdown essential to break chain of infection: govt.
Information in News
- Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of extension of the lockdown till May 3, the Ministry said the move was essential to break the chain of transmission.
- As per the World Health Organisation data, 76,498 confirmed cases and 5,702 deaths were reported across the world on Monday and it is due to our collective effort that in a large country like India, we have been able to restrict the numbers,” Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said.
- The Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India has issued guidelines for controlling spread of COVID-19 in densely populated areas. The emphasis of this manual is to bring frugal sanitary and hygiene solutions & measures with focus on community shared toilet, washing or bathing facilities, noted the Ministry.
- Maharashtra government’s request to the ICMR seeking for permission to use BCG vaccine for clinical trials on coronavirus infected patients.
The trial permission includes two parts,
- One has to register in the clinical trials registry set up by the ICMR’s National Institute of Medical Statistics (NIMS).
- Also will have to take approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).
- Labour Ministry has set up 20 control rooms and grievance centres to address wage-related grievances of workers.
The Health Ministry meanwhile has noted that during this period
- Special care of the elderly must be taken, especially those who have chronic disease.
- People should completely adhere to lockdown measures and social distancing.
- Use immunity enhancing measures suggested by Ayush Ministry by consuming warm water ‘Kadha’.
- Download and use the Aarogya Setu Mobile App to help prevent the spread of corona infection.
Reference
3. Teltumbde, Navlakha surrender to NIA
Information in News
- Civil rights campaigner Gautam Navlakha and scholar and activist Anand Teltumbde surrendered to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday in New Delhi and Mumbai respectively for their alleged involvement in the Bhima-Koregaon riots of 2018.
Allegation
- Both Dr. Teltumbde and Mr. Navlakha were booked at the Vishrambaug police station in Pune where an offence was registered on January 8, 2018, on the basis of a complaint lodged by a local builder, Tushar Damgude.
- He alleged that members of the CPI (Maoist) and Kabir Kala Manch spread hatred through provocative songs, plays and speeches delivered at Elgar Parishad held at Shaniwar Wada on December 31, 2017.
- The Supreme Court on April 8 ordered Mr. Navlakha and Mr. Teltumbde to surrender after rejecting their anticipatory bail pleas. The case against them was transferred from the Pune police to the NIA in January. Both have been charged under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
- Earlier, in 2018, the Pune police arrested activists Sudha Bharadwaj, Shoma Sen, Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Arun Ferreira, Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, Vernon Gonsalves and Varavara Rao, for their alleged involvement in the Bhima Koregaon riots.
Mr. Teltumbde, an engineer and IIM graduate who taught at IIT-Kharagpur, was booked for his alleged links to the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and remanded to NIA custody till April 18 by a special NIA court in Mumbai.
- The NIA court in Mumbai, however, did not take up Mr. Navlakha’s remand application because of jurisdictional issues, and he will be produced before a Delhi court on Wednesday.
Reference
4. Bhopal gas survivors left in the lurch
Information in News
- Four of the five patients who died of COVID-19 in Bhopal were survivors of the city’s 1984 gas tragedy, and were suffering from respiratory illnesses that made them more vulnerable to the disease.
- After the State government converted the ICMR-run Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC) into a dedicated COVID-19 hospital on March 23, the facility closed its doors to the survivors of the methyl isocyanate leak from a pesticide plant in the city in 1984, which killed thousands and caused deformities and congenital diseases in lakhs.
- The people faced a lot of trouble getting him admitted to both private and government hospitals.
- And private hospitals can’t deny admission.
- If the government doesn’t focus on the survivors, there will be more deaths. They have shut the only super speciality hospital for them. Even other gas relief hospitals have closed OPDs.
Reference
5. 83% drop in rape cases during lockdown
Information in News
- The Capital witnessed a sharp decline in heinous crime against women since the beginning of lockdown, the data shared by Delhi Police sources recorded that from March 22 to April 12, the number of rape cases registered under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code stood at 23 as opposed to 139 in 2019, during the same time period leading to a decline of 83.4%.
Reason for reduction of Crime against Women
- The reason of decline is that one of the major reasons of crime being committed is sudden provocation which is a rare possibility at this time.
- There are no crowds, people don’t have the environment to get angry which means they can’t get provoked.
- No metro, no bus, no public transport for men to interact with women also plays a major role in reduction of crime.
- Another factor is people are not able to procure alcohol which is a trigger for many crimes.
- There are no vehicles on the road which would lead to case of road rage or road accidents.
- Crime related to money and property have also reduced because everyone knows that any transaction will take place only after lockdown.
- Social distancing has also kept crime at a distance.
- Talking about rape and molestation cases which have been registered, the officer said that two reasons can be,
- One, that these are old complaints which are turning into FIRs and
- Two, some people are taking advantage of the situation knowing that going to report the case might be tough.
- Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code
(1)Whoever, except in the cases provided for in sub-section (2), commits rape, shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than seven years, but which may extend to imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine.
Reference
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/83-drop-in-rape-cases-during-lockdown/article31342419.ece
6. U.S. approves 2 missile deals with India
Information in News
The U.S. State Department has approved two potential missile deals with India, for an estimated $92 million and $63 million, the State Department has said in a statement.
- The first deal, for which Boeing is the contractor, is for ten AGM-84L Harpoon Block II air launched missiles and related equipment. These missiles can be fitted onto Boeing’s 8-PI (Poseidon Eight India) maritime patrol aircraft and are intended to enhance India’s capability in anti-surface warfare while defending its sea lanes.
- The second deal, for $63 million and principally contracted with Raytheon Integrated Defense System, is for 16 MK 54 All Up Round Lightweight Torpedoes (LWT); three MK 54 Exercise Torpedoes (MK 54 LWT Kit procurement required); and related equipment. Also included are MK 54 spare parts; torpedo containers; two Recoverable Exercise Torpedoes (REXTORP) with containers and related equipment and support from the U.S. government and contractors.
The torpedoes are expected to enhance India’s anti-submarine warfare capability and can be used with the P-8I.
There are no known offset agreements for both deals, the State Department said, and any offset agreements will be defined in negotiations between India and the contractors.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification to the U.S. Congress, notifying it of the possible sale. As per the U.S.’s Arms Export Control Act, Congress has 30 days to raise objections to the sale in the case of India.
Reference
7. ICMR suggests testing of pooled samples
Information in News
It says the number of cases in India is registering a rise, so the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is now advising the feasibility of using pooled samples for molecular testing of COVID-19.
- A pooled testing algorithm involves the PCR screening of a specimen pool comprising multiple individual patient specimens, followed by individual testing (pool de-convolution) only if a pool screens positive. As all individual samples in a negative pool are regarded as negative, it results in substantial cost savings when a large proportion of pools tests negative.
- But pooling of sample is not recommended in areas or population with positivity rates of >5% for COVID-19. Preferable number of samples to be pooled is five, though more than two samples can be pooled, but considering higher possibility of missing positive samples with low viral load, it strongly discouraged to pool more than 5 samples, except in research mode.
- The study has recommended that it should be used only in areas with low prevalence of COVID-19 (initially using proxy of low positivity of <2% from the existing data.
- Still, a watch should be kept on increasing positivity in such areas. In areas with positivity of 2-5%, sample pooling for PCR screening may be considered only in community survey or surveillance among asymptomatic individuals.
Strictly excluding pooling samples of individuals with known contact with confirmed cases and health care workers (in direct contact with care of COVID-19 patients). Sample from such individuals should be directly tested without pooling.
Reference
8. Local bodies told to give gear to sanitation workers
Information in New
- The National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) has asked local bodies to ensure that all sanitation workers are provided personal protective equipment (PPE) to remain safe during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC)
- National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) which is a government undertaking under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, had issued an advisory to all municipalities and panchayats for ensuring safety of sanitation workers and waste collectors.
- Established in 1997, NSKFDC works as an apex organisation for the all-around socio-economic upliftment of the Safai Karamcharis, Scavengers and their dependents all over India, through various loan and non-loan based schemes.
- The scheme promotes economic development activities of the safai karamcharis.
- The scheme also helps safai karamcharis in income generating schemes by way of loans, subsidies, advances, or grants.
- The scheme extends loans to students from the community for pursuing professional or technical education.
- It also engages in promoting training, quality control, technology up-gradation, and common facility centres for carrying out sanitation works.
- It helps in upskilling of personnel from the community in technical and entrepreneurial skills.
- The scheme also assists self-employed members of the community in procuring raw materials or other outputs or in marketing finished goods and services in units set up by them.
National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK)
- NCSK is statutory body established under National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993
- It was established in 1994 to deal with the grievances of persons engaged in manual scavenging.
- It aims to promote and safeguard interests and rights of Safai Karamcharis and Manual Sacavengers and works for welfare of both.
- It is mandated to work towards elimination of inequalities in status facilities and opportunities for Safai Karamcharis.
- It has important role to ensure rehabilitation of all identified manual scavengers on time-bound basis. It is mandate is to study, evaluate and monitor implementation of various schemes for Safai Karamcharis as autonomous organisation.
- Under Section 31 of Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013, NCSK perform flowing functions
- To monitor the implementation of the Act.
- To enquire into complaints regarding contravention of the provisions of the Act, and to convey its findings to the concerned authorities with recommendations requiring further action.
- To advise the Central and the State Governments for effective implementation of the provisions of the Act.
- To take suo motu notice of matter relating to non-implementation of the Act.
Reference
9. Amid lockdown, hunters eye rhino horns
Information in New
The COVID-19 lockdown has activated poachers who had been forced into lying low for more than a year. At least six thwarted attempts have been made within a week in and around Assam’s national parks– Kaziranga National Park (KNP).
Kaziranga National Park
- It was declared as a National Park in 1974.
- It has been declared a tiger reserve since 2007.
- It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
- It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
- It is located in the State of Assam, the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain.
- The National Highway 37 passes through the park area.
- The park also has more than 250 seasonal water bodies, besides the Diphlu River running through it.
- It is the home of the world’s most one-horned rhinos.
- The one-horned rhinoceroses are listed as vulnerable on IUCN Red list of Threatened Species.
Reference
10. App-based diesel delivery service reaches Haryana
Information in New
- Humsafar’s reach was earlier limited to Delhi-NCR
- App-based diesel delivery service reaches Haryana
- Humsafar, an app-based doorstep diesel delivery service provider, has now launched its services in major cities of Haryana, which earlier was earlier limited to Delhi-NCR.
- Our primary objective is to help hospitals, farmers and housing societies in these tough times, said Sanya Goel, Director and Founder of Humsafar.
- The areas where the service is now available include Panipat, Karnal, Sonipat, Hisar, Ambala, Rohtak, Bahadurgarh, Faridabad, Rewari and Gurugram.
Reference
11. Coronavirus | Survey of India maps to bolster Arogya Setu app
Information in New
- To “complement” the Arogya Setu App, a government endorsed application that helps trace the contacts of those who may have been infected by COVID-19, the Survey of India (SoI), the country’s apex map maker has made public a trove of maps.
- It also helps the government trace contacts of those infected to execute quarantining.
- This could improve geospatial data as well as help develop maps that could be customised to a variety of ‘COVID-related applications’ such as healthcare facilities, infection clusters and disaster management, according to officials associated with the project.
- Critics say that Arogya Setu and applications like Sahyog that link to it, could infringe privacy as there wasn’t clarity on how data would be shared between the two applications.
- “If location data from Arogya Setu is transferred to the other application, then it is a problem. But if it is a one way transfer from Sahyog to Arogya Setu, then it is more about privacy protection within the latter application.
Survey of India (SoI)
- Survey of India (SoI) is the National mapping Agency (NMA) of the country under Department of Science & Technology, Govt of India.
- The National Survey and Mapping Organization of the country under the Department of Science & Technology, is the oldest scientific department of the GOVT. of INDIA. It was set up in 1767 and has evolved rich traditions over the years.
- In its assigned role as the Nation’s principal mapping agency, Survey of India bears a special responsibility to ensure that the country’s domain is explored and mapped suitably to provide base maps for expeditious and integrated development and ensure that all resources contribute their full measure to the progress, prosperity and security of our country now and for generations to come.
Functions of Survey of India
- All Geodetic Control (Horizontal and Vertical) and Geodetic and geophysical Surveys.
- All Topographical control, Surveys and Mapping within India.
- Mapping and Production Of Geographical maps and Aeronautical Charts.
- Surveys for Developmental Projects.
- Large-scale Cities, Guide Maps & Cadastral Surveys etc.
- Survey and Mapping of special purpose maps.
- Spelling of Geographical names.
- Demarcation of the External Boundaries of the Republic of India, their depiction on maps published in the country and also advice on the demarcation of inter-state boundaries.
- Training of officers and staff of Survey of India, other Central and State Government department and trainees from Foreign Countries.
- Research and Development in Digital Mapping and creation of Digital Topographical Data Base on 1:250,000, 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 scale, Printing, Geodesy, Photogrammetry, Topographical Surveys and Indigenisation.
- Prediction of tides at 44 ports including 14 foreign ports and publication of Tide Table one year in advance to support navigational activities.
- Scrutiny and Certification of external boundaries & coastline maps published by the other agencies including private publishers.Referencehttps://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-survey-of-india-maps-to-bolster-arogya-setu-app/article31340638.ece
Extra Informations
1. Amnesty International
- Amnesty International is a London based Non-Governmental Organisation founded in 1961.
- The organization aims to create a world where every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards.
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948. It recognized the fundamental human rights universally for the first time.
- It also conducts research, generates action to prevent grave abuses of human rights and demands justice for those whose rights have been violated.
- The organization was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 for its “Defence of human dignity against torture” and the United Nations Prize in the field of Human Rights in 1978.
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ICMR (The Indian Council of Medical Research)
- The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research through intramural as well as extramural research, is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world.
- IRFA (Indian Research Fund Association) established in 1911was redesignated as the Indian Council of Medical Research (with Dr. C.G. Pandit as its first Director).
- IRFA was registered as a local body not administered by the Government on March 22, 1938 under the Government of India Act No. XXI of 1860.
- The ICMR is funded by the Government of India through the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
- The Governing Body of the Council is presided over by the Union Health Minister. It is assisted in scientific and technical matters by a Scientific Advisory Board comprising eminent experts in different biomedical disciplines.
- The Board, in its turn, is assisted by a series of Scientific Advisory Groups, Scientific Advisory Committees, Expert Groups, Task Forces, and Steering Committees etc. which evaluate and monitor different research activities of the Council.
- The Council’s research priorities coincide with the National health priorities such as control and management of communicable diseases, fertility control, maternal and child health, control of nutritional disorders, developing alternative strategies for health care delivery, containment within safety limits of environmental and occupational health problems; research on major non-communicable diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, blindness, diabetes and other metabolic and hematological disorders; mental health research and drug research (including traditional remedies).
3. National Investigation Agency
- National Investigation Agency (NIA) is a central agency established by the Indian Government to combat terror in India.
- NIA was created after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks as need for a central agency to combat terrorism was realised.
- It acts as the Central Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency.
- The agency is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states.
- The Agency came into existence with the enactment of the National Investigation Agency Act 2008 by the Parliament of India on 31 December 2008.
- The founding Director-General of NIA was Radha Vinod Raju, and he served till 31 January 2010.
- The agency aims to match the best international standards in counter terrorism and other national security related investigations at the national level by developing into a highly trained, partnership oriented workforce.
- Apart from covering offences that are challenges to the sovereignty and integrity of the country, it also probes counterfeit currency, human trafficking, organized crime, violations of atomic energy act etc.
Functioning of NIA
- To curb various aspects of terrorist financing, a Terror Funding and Fake Currency Cell (TFFC) has been created in the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
- The Cell maintains data base of terror financing and cases of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN).
- It also conducts part investigation into terror financing aspects of regular cases investigated by the NIA. For terror financing aspects of Naxalite groups operating in various parts of India, the TFFC Cell has conducted a number of verifications of bank accounts suspected to be linked with naxalite groups.
Special NIA Courts
- Various Special Courts have been established under Section 11 and 22 of the NIA Act 2008 for trail of the cases registered at various police stations of National Investigation Agency.
- The Central Government has the power to constitute one or more Special NIA courts in an area. As of now, there are 38 Special NIA Courts.
- The Special NIA Courts are presided over by a judge appointed by the Central Government on the recommendation of the Chief Justice of the High Court with jurisdiction in that region.
Powers of the Special Courts
- As per the NIA Act, 2008, the NIA Special Courts have all powers of the court of sessions under Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
- Trials conducted by the Special NIA Courts have precedence over the trail of any other case against the accused in any other court.
4. Hamsafar
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Wht is Hamsafar? I can’t understand? Can you give me a explanation?
Welcome, I added Hamsafar App picture as extra information for the above listed topic no.10. App based diesel service reaches Haryana.
Humsafar, an App based diesel service is to help entities such as housing societies, industries and malls avoid the hassle of transporting large amounts of fuel from the fuel station to the desired destination.
This would also cut down the unsafe practices of transporting the fuel and ensure a highly secured mode of transport by Humsafar delivery dispensers.
The major benefits of diesel delivery service are good quality and quantity of fuel delivered, live tracking of the delivery vehicle, automated billing, delivery within 8 hours and no spillage and wastage of fuel. Humsafar has 12 bowser tankers in varying capacity from 4 kilo litres to 6 kilo litres.
Thank you..