1. UN declares access to clean and healthy environment a universal human right
Tags: International News
The United Nations General Assembly in a historic resolution declared on 29 July that everyone on the planet has a right to live in a clean and healthy environment.
Important facts
The General Assembly said that climate change and environmental degradation are the most serious threats to humanity in the future.
It called on states to step up efforts to ensure that their people have access to a "clean, healthy and sustainable environment".
The resolution recognizes the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right, which must be essential for the full enjoyment of all human rights.
Member States can unite in a collective fight against the scourge of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
This declaration highlights almost all the rights related to the health of our environment.
The resolution is not legally binding on the 193 UN Member States including India.
Historic resolution after 50 years
50 years ago, the United Nations Conference on the Environment in Stockholm concluded with a resolution that put environmental issues at the forefront of the global stage.
Today, more than 176 countries have adopted laws related to the environment on its basis.
After the Stockholm Declaration of 1972, these rights have been integrated into constitutions, national laws and regional agreements.
In October 2021, it was recognized by the United Nations Human Rights Council.
This Healthy environment right was not included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948.
It is a historic resolution that will change the nature of international human rights law.
Other steps by UN general assembly
On 28 July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly recognized the right to water and sanitation through its resolution.
The Assembly stated that clean drinking water and sanitation “are essential to the realisation of all human rights”.
In response, governments around the world have changed their laws and regulations regarding water and sanitation.
2. Assam’s Manas Reserve has more tigresses than tigers
Tags: National News
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According to the annual wildlife monitoring of trans-boundary wildlife preserve the Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam has 2.4 tigresses for every tiger.
Important facts
According to the latest camera trapping assessment done by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), this vital tiger habitat area of 536.22 sq km has 52 adult tigers along with eight cubs.
The assessment states that 29 tigers were earlier, while 23 new tigers have been reported.
The gender of 27 tigers can be ascertained precisely - eight of them are male and 19 are female i.e. sex ratio of 1:2.4.
Manas Tiger Reserve
Manas Tiger Reserve is located in the State of Assam in North-East India.
It is a biodiversity hotspot, covering an area of 39,100 hectares, it spans the Manas river and is bounded to the north by the forests of Bhutan.
It was declared a sanctuary on 1 October, 1928 and was designated a World Heritage site in December 1985.
It is home to a wide variety of wildlife like tiger, golden langur, wild buffalo, hispid hare, pygmy hog, capped langur, Indian one-horned rhinoceros, elephant, gaur, hog deer, etc.
It is known for its Project Tigers, Rhinos & Elephants, and is Assam's one of the two Tiger projects.
3. Kerala tops in 2021 Assembly Sittings
Tags: National News
According to PRS Legislative Research (PRS), Kerala, which slipped to eighth place in the state assembly sittings in 2020 during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, ranks first in 2021.
Important facts
The Kerala Legislative Assembly met for 61 days in 2021, the highest for any state.
Kerala's performance in 2021 was impressive as the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in this year was higher as compared to the year 2000.
Between 2016 and 2019, Kerala had the distinction of being at the top with an average sitting of 53 days.
The state legislature, Kerala (Left Democratic Front in power since May 2016) promulgated 144 ordinances, the highest in the country last year.
Ordinances are promulgated by governments to take immediate action on any urgent matter during the intervening period of two sessions of the legislature.
Other states
Kerala was followed by Odisha - 43 days, Karnataka - 40 days and Tamil Nadu - 34 days.
Sittings in 28 state legislatures and one union territory legislature took place for less than 20 days.
Of them, five - Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Delhi Vidhan Sabhas - met for less than 10 days.
The figures for Uttar Pradesh, Manipur and Punjab were 17, 16 and 11 respectively.
Andhra Pradesh with 20 ordinances and Maharashtra with 15 followed Kerala, wherein Bills replacing 33 ordinances became Acts.
Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh also issued ordinances to give effect to budget proposals.
Education was 21% among the subjects covered in the bills passed in 2021, followed by taxation - 12%, local government - 10%, and land and law and order - 4%.
The minimum sitting rule
Manipur, Odisha, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh have laid down a minimum number of sitting days through the Rules of Procedure, varying from 40 days in Punjab to 90 days in Uttar Pradesh.
The minimum sitting should be 60 days as per the conduct of business of Karnataka Government in the State Legislature Act.
4. Government releases target to curb malnutrition
Tags: National News
Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani on 28 July Released targets for curbing malnutrition in the country.
What are the targets?
The aim of the target is to reduce stunting and under-nutrition (underweight prevalence) among children under 6 years by 2% per annum.
Reducing low birth weight by 2% per year.
Reducing anemia by 3% per year in children aged six to 59 months and in women and adolescent girls (15 to 49 years).
Other important facts
As per the findings of the 2019-21 National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), nutrition indicators for children under 5 have improved over NFHS-4 (2015-16).
Stunting has reduced from 38.4% to 35.5%.
Wasting has reduced from 21.0% to 19.3%.
underweight prevalence has been down from 35.8% to 32.1%.
Women (15-49 years) whose BMI is below normal has reduced from 22.9% in NFHS-4 to 18.7% in NFHS-5.
In spite of this India remains one of the countries with the highest burden of malnutrition in the world.
Status of states
Meghalaya has the highest number of stunted children (46.5%), followed by Bihar (42.9%).
Assam, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have stunted children higher than the national average of 35.5%.
Puducherry and Sikkim have the lowest percentage of stunted children.
Maharashtra has the highest 25.6% wasted children followed by Gujarat 25.1%.
Assam, Bihar, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Karnataka and West Bengal have a higher percentage of wasted children than the national average of 19.3%.
Bihar has the highest number of underweight children (41%), followed by Gujarat (39.7%) and Jharkhand (39.4%).
Assam, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh have percentages of underweight children higher than the national average of 32.1%.
5. Supreme Court orders status quo on Kaleshwaram Irrigation Project
Tags: National News
The Supreme Court on July 27 ordered status quo on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) after the court was told that the Telangana government was expanding the project without any environmental clearance.
About Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP)
Project is a multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in Kaleshwaram, Bhupalpally in Telangana.
It is one of the largest projects in the world.
Its farthest upstream effect is at the confluence of the Pranhita and Godavari rivers.
The Pranhita River is the confluence of various minor tributaries including the Wardha, Pinganga and Wainganga rivers.
The Project is divided into 7 links and 28 packages spanning a distance of approximately 500 km (310 mi) through 13 districts.
The project aims to produce a total of 240 TMC (195 from Medigadda Barrage.
The biggest lift projects in the world
The largest lift projects in the world were the Colorado Lift Project in America and the Great Man-Made River in Egypt.
The capacity of these projects is in horsepower and they took more than three decades to complete.
Now, the Indian Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project has become the world's biggest in terms of capacities.
Significance of the Project
The project will enable farmers in Telangana to have year-round water supply.
The project will cover many districts that used to face rainfall deficient and groundwater fluoride pollution as well.
Apart from irrigation, a main component of the project is the supply of drinking water to several towns and villages as well as the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
6. Centre issues new set of health warnings for tobacco products packs
Tags: National News
The Central government on 29 July notified new sets of specified health warnings for all tobacco product packs by making an amendment in the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2008.
What are the new warnings?
The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2008 have been amended to name the "Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Third Amendment Rules, 2022".
All tobacco products manufactured or imported or packaged on or after December 1, 2022 shall display the image with the text health warning – Tobacco causes painful death.
Products that are manufactured or imported or packaged after December 1 next year will display the image with the text health warning - Tobacco users die younger.
Any person directly or indirectly engaged in the manufacture, production, supply, import or distribution of cigarettes shall ensure that all tobacco product packages carry the specified health warnings.
Violation of the provision is a punishable offence and the violators will be punished with imprisonment or fine as prescribed in the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertising and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003.
The amended rules will come into effect from December 1, 2022.
7. MoU signed by ANC and AAI for promotion of inter-island connectivity under UDAN scheme
Tags: National News
An MoU was signed by the Andaman and Nicobar Command and the Airport Authority of India at Port Blair on 28 July to promote inter-island connectivity under the UDAN scheme.
Important facts
According to the MoU, naval airfields at Shibpur (at Diglipur) and Campbell Bay in North Andaman will be used for civilian operations.
Passenger flights will directly connect Port Blair to Diglipur and Campbell Bay, two separate ends of the archipelago.
Now the bidding process will be started for operational flights.
This will pave the way for infrastructure development and passenger terminals on these remote islands.
As per the vision of the UDAN scheme, a low-cost 20-passenger flight will be operated between these islands.
Diglipur is the third most populous city in the Andaman, while a major transshipment port is to be built at Campbell Bay.
Having a direct flight from Port Blair to Diglipur and Campbell will ease the hardship of daily commuters.
This will also boost tourism development.
About UDAN scheme
Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) was launched in 2016 as a Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Its objective is to provide affordable, economically viable and profitable air travel on regional routes to the common man even in small towns.
8. Boris Johnson gives Churchill Leadership Award to Ukraine's Zelenskyy
Tags: Awards International News
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on July 26 honoured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with the 'Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Award' and compared the two leaders in times of crisis.
Important facts
Zelensky accepted the award through video link during a ceremony at Johnson's London office.
Johnson recalled how Zelensky had confirmed on February 24 that Russia had invaded Ukraine.
He said, "In the hour of the greatest crisis, you faced the test of leadership in your own way as Churchill did in 1940."
Zelensky thanked Johnson and Britain for their cooperation.
Johnson was the first Western leader to visit Kyiv after Russia's invasion of the northeastern country Ukraine.
Churchill Leadership Award
It was first introduced in 2006.
Past recipients of the award include Prince Charles, former British Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major and former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
Who was Winston Churchill?
He was a statesman, writer, orator and leader who led Britain to victory in the Second World War.
He served as Conservative Prime Minister of Britain twice - from 1940 to 1945 and from 1951 to 1955.
He was born on 30 November 1874, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire.
He died on 24 January 1965, London.
9. Cabinet approved a project for 4G Mobile services in villages
Tags: National News
The Union Cabinet on July 27 approved a project for saturation of 4G mobile services in all the uncovered villages of the country at a total cost of Rs 26,316 crore.
Important facts
Under the project, 4G mobile services will be provided in 24,680 uncovered villages in remote and inaccessible areas.
In addition, 6,279 villages, which currently have only 2G/3G connectivity, will also be upgraded to 4G.
The project has a provision to cover 20% of additional villages on account of resettlement, new settlements, withdrawal of services by existing operators, etc.
The project will be executed by BSNL using Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Made in India) 4G technology stack.
The project will be funded through the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
The project is a significant step towards the government's vision of providing mobile connectivity in rural areas.
What is Universal Service?
This refers to having a phone and affordable phone service in every household.
It means to provide telecom service with specified quality at an affordable price to all users everywhere.
About USOF
It was established in April 2002 under the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act 2003.
Its objective is to provide financial assistance for the provision of telecommunication services in the commercially unviable rural and remote areas of the country.
It is an attached office of the Department of Telecommunications.
It is headed by an administrator, who is appointed by the central government.
10. UN Rights Panel Calls To Repeal Hong Kong Security Law Imposed By China
Tags: International News
Experts from the UN Human Rights Committee said on July 27 that Hong Kong's controversial national security law should be repealed as the law is being used to crack down on free expression and dissent.
Important facts
Chinese and Hong Kong officials have used the NSL imposed by Beijing in 2020 to restore stability after the city was destabilized by sometimes violent anti-government and anti-China activities in 2019.
This UN committee, which oversees the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), released its findings on Hong Kong after periodic review.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is a signatory to the ICCPR but China is not.
This is the first recommendation by an independent UN expert body since 2020.
About Hong Kong
Hong Kong is an autonomous region, and a former British colony in southeast China.
It became a colony of the British Empire in 1842 at the end of the First Opium War.
Sovereignty over the region was returned to China in 1997.
As a Special Administrative Region (SAR), Hong Kong maintains governing power and economic systems that are separate from those of mainland China.
The Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984 guarantees basic law for 50 years.
About Hong Kong Security Law
Hong Kong was handed back to China by the British government in 1997, but this was done under an agreement.
This agreement is called the 'Basic Law' and it affirms the principle of 'one country, two systems'.
This minor constitution is a product of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration.
Under this, China promised in 1997 that in the coming 50 years it would respect Hong Kong's liberal policies, governance system, an independent judiciary and individual freedoms that no other part of mainland China has.
The Basic Law will expire in the year 2047. Under Article 23, Hong Kong can make its own national security law.
