Environment CL's Connect to Current-Daily Current Capsules (Prelims Prep. Prominence) 23rd October 2018 - Eten IAS

CL’s Connect to Current-Daily Current
Capsules (Prelims Prep. Prominence)
23rd October 2018

Environment
“Harit Diwali-Swasth Diwali” campaign

Launched by
    Ministry of Environment
Why
    Air pollution is a serious health issue in the country especially in the
     northern parts during winter seasons.
Rise in air pollution in northern states
    The air pollution in the northern region is attributed to dust, burning of
     crops in certain states, burning of garbage construction and prevailing
     climatic conditions.

 Diwali which is a festival of lights falls during the same period. As a
    matter of practice people have been celebrating Diwali by bursting
    crackers.
   Crackers contains combustible chemicals that include potassium chlorate
    powdered aluminum, magnesium, salts of barium, copper, sodium,
    lithium, strontium etc. and emits smoke on combustion of these chemicals
    along with sound.
   This smoke and sound has health impacts on children, aged people and
    also animal and birds.
   Keeping in view the above detrimental effects and also the importance of
    the festival, Ministry has initiated a “Harit–Diwali” campaign.
Connect to Harit–Diwali campaign
   This campaign was initiated in 2017-18 wherein large number of school
    children especially from eco-clubs participated and took pledge to
    minimize bursting of crackers and also discouraged the neighborhood and
    their friends from bursting of crackers.
   During this intensive campaign, the children were advised to celebrate
    Diwali in an environment-friendly manner
   The above campaign was extremely successful and the air quality had not
    deteriorated post Diwali in 2017 unlike what was experienced in 2016.
   On the above lines, the Ministry has initiated the similar campaign, but
    this year the campaign has been extended Pan-India.

Harit Diwali-Swasth Diwali merged with Green Good Deed
   The “Harit Diwali-Swasth Diwali” campaign is now merged with “Green
    Good Deed” movement that has been initiated as a social mobilization for
    conservation and protection of environment.
   The Ministry encourages all schools and colleges to be part of this
    campaign.

Jainism Doctrine

Vishwashanti Ahimsa Sammelan (world peace and non-violence
conference)

Organised by

The Bhagwan Rishabhdev Murti Nirmaan Samiti.

What
    The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the
     Vishwashanti Ahimsa Sammelan at Mangi Tungi, Nasik, Maharashtr

Connect to Jain tradition
    Jain tradition, the principle of ‘Ahimsa Paramodharma’ is distinguished
     for human welfare and compassion - not just for the absence of physical
     violence.
    Bhagwan Mahavir gave special importance to ‘Apirigraha’ - not taking
     what is more than essential to live.
    Humankind is exploiting nature indiscriminately. Ruthless consumption
     and accumulation of resources is increasing. Due to this, phenomena like
     climate change are emerging as challenges. Following the Jain tradition
     shows us a way out.

108-foot tall statue of Jain Tirthankar Bhagwan Rishabhdev

 Rishabhanatha (also Rishabhadeva, Ṛṣabhadeva or Ṛṣabha which literally
    means "bull") is the first Tirthankara in Jainism.
   Jain legends depict him as having lived millions of years ago.
   He is also known as Ādinātha which translates into "First (Adi) Lord
    (nātha)",as well as Adishvara (first ishvara), Yugadideva (deva of yuga,
    lord of an era), Prathamaraja (first king), and Nabheya (son of Nabhi).
   Along with Mahavira, Parshvanatha and Neminatha, Rishabhanatha is
    one of the four Tirthankaras that attract the most devotional worship
    among the Jains.

Women and Child Development
Women of India Organic Festival

From 26th October to 4th November, 2018

What
   The Ministry of Women and Child Development is organizing the 5th
    edition of the Women of India Organic Festival from 26th October to
    4th November, 2018
Why
   This is aimed to boost organic culture and promote Women Organic
    Farmers and Entrepreneurs.
   Being the country's largest organic festival, it bears witness to the fact
    that women are the torchbearers of the nation's organic movement.
Enlighten about the fest
   The WOI Festival has given a successful platform to empower women
    farmers and entrepreneurs in a festive and fruitful manner for the past 4
    years.
   With over 500 women entrepreneurs coming together from across the
    country with their organic products such as cereals, rice, pulses, skin-care
    products, fabric, jewellery, etc, this is the perfect example of how the
    festival is creating a revolution and making women self-reliant.
   For the first time, ‘The Vegan Project’ and Food Court with cooked-on-
    site delicacies will also be available.

Corporate Affairs
Cross Border Insolvency
ILC recommends adoption of the UNCITRAL Model Law of Cross
Border Insolvency, 1997

What
   The Insolvency Law Committee (ILC) constituted by the Ministry of
    Corporate Affairs to recommend amendments to Insolvency and
    Bankruptcy Code of India, 2016, has submitted its 2nd Report to the
    Government, which deals with cross border insolvency.
What’s the committee suggested
   The ILC has recommended the adoption of the UNCITRAL Model Law
    of Cross Border Insolvency, 1997, as it provides for a comprehensive
    framework to deal with cross border insolvency issues.
   The Committee has also recommended a few carve outs to ensure that
    there is no inconsistency between the domestic insolvency framework
    and the proposed Cross Border Insolvency Framework.
Connect to the UNCITRAL
   The UNCITRAL Model Law has been adopted in as many as 44
    countries and, therefore, forms part of international best practices in
    dealing with cross border insolvency issues.
   The advantages of the model law are the precedence given to domestic
    proceedings and protection of public interest.
   The other advantages include greater confidence generation among
    foreign investors, adequate flexibility for seamless integration with the
    domestic Insolvency Law and a robust mechanism for international
    cooperation.
   The model law deals with four major principles of cross-border
    insolvency, namely direct access to foreign insolvency professionals and
    foreign creditors to participate in or commence domestic insolvency
    proceedings against a defaulting debtor; recognition of foreign
    proceedings & provision of remedies; cooperation between domestic and
    foreign courts & domestic and foreign insolvency practioners; and
    coordination between two or more concurrent insolvency proceedings in
    different countries.
   The main proceeding is determined by the concept of centre of main
    interest (“COMI”).

Why its needed
   The necessity of having Cross Border Insolvency Framework under the
    Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code arises from the fact that many Indian
    companies have a global footprint and many foreign companies have
    presence in multiple countries including India.
   Although the proposed Framework for Cross Border Insolvency will
    enable us to deal with Indian companies having foreign assets and vice
    versa, it still does not provide for a framework for dealing with
    enterprise groups, which is still work in progress with UNCITRAL and
    other international bodies.
   The inclusion of the Cross Border Insolvency Chapter in the Insolvency
    and Bankruptcy Code of India, 2016, will be a major step forward and
    will bring Indian Insolvency Law on a par with that of matured
    jurisdictions.

State Specific
Gaming Garage

What
   The Andhra Pradesh government has set its sights on the gaming industry
    to generate employment and encourage entrepreneurs and game
    developers in view of its growing importance.
Connect to Gaming Garage
   It has chalked out plans to launch the ‘Gaming Garage’ in Vijayawada
    very soon.
   The ‘Model Guest House’ located near the foothill of the Indrakeeladri is
    being spruced up for the Garage.
   Companies such as the Unity Technologies, Denmark/San Francisco
    would provide the software.
   The Kajaani University of Applied Sciences of Finland would be
    knowledge/operational partner.
   Any creative thinker could walk into the Garage to develop a game of
    choice.
   The government would provide them with “the necessary software and
    infrastructure free of cost.

 The Cabinet in April gave its nod to animations and visual effects,
    gaming and comics policy to attract the best from the sector and an
    investment of about ₹6,400 crore by 2020
   Hackathons, game jams, capacity building, creating intern opportunities
    were some of the activities around the Garage.
   It will be a sustainable step towards nurturing and building the ecosystem
    for aspiring youth to learn these technologies through project-internship
    and hackathon-based learning environment
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Neelakurinji flowers

Chikkamagaluru hill station
   Neelakurinji flowers, a shrub belonging to the genus Strobilanthes,
    blossom once in 12 years.
   Kurinji or Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthianus) is a shrub that is found
    in the shola forests of the Western Ghats in South India.
   Nilgiri Hills, which literally means the blue mountains, got their name
    from the purplish blue flowers of Neelakurinji that blossoms only once in
    12 years.
   Of all long interval bloomers (or plietesials) Strobilanthes kunthianus is
    the most rigorously demonstrated, with documented bloomings in 1838,
    1850, 1862, 1874, 1886, 1898, 1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970 [1]
    1982, 1994, 2006 and 2018

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Energy Security
The 27th Fusion Energy Conference (FEC 2018)

Where
   FEC was held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Organised by
   The event is organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency
    (IAEA) and hosted by Department of Atomic Energy and Gandhinagar-
    based Institute of Plasma Research.
Connect to FEC 2018
   The aim of FEC 2018 was to provide forum for discussion of key physics
    and technology issues as well as innovative concepts of direct relevance
    to the use of nuclear fusion as a source of energy.
   Nuclear fusion as a sources of energy
   Experts from across the world discussed innovative concepts on using
    nuclear fusion as source of energy.

Clean India Mission
Centre for Science and Environment Report

In urban U.P., 87% of waste from toilets goes to rivers, farmlands

Toilets and septic tanks are built without a proper sewer systems

What
    While urban Uttar Pradesh has an 80% coverage of toilets, inefficient
     sanitation systems ensure that almost 87% of the excreta being generated
     by these toilets is being dumped in waterbodies or agricultural lands,
     according to a new analysis of 30 cities by the Centre for Science and
     Environment.
Connect to the CSE report
    The report argues that building more toilets will only worsen the
     environmental, sanitation and manual scavenging situation, unless
     sewerage connections increase from the current 28% of households in the
     30 cities studied.
    Onsite sanitation systems — such as septic tanks or pit latrines — are far
     more prevalent, and are used by 47% of households.

 CSE’s analysis found that half of all emptying work in these cities is done
    manually, despite the legal prohibition of the employment of manual
    scavengers.
   As there is no designated site for disposal, the emptied faecal sludge ends
    up in open drains/nullahs/open fields, which eventually lead to polluting
    the Ganga and other rivers and surface water bodies
   In cities with a population over 10 lakh, such as Lucknow, Kanpur and
    Agra, the sewerage system covers 44% of the population. The situation is
    much worse in smaller cities.
Connect to CSE
   Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is a not-for-profit public
    interest research and advocacy organisation based in New Delhi, India.
   Established in 1980, CSE works as a think tank on environment-
    development issues in India, poor planning, climate shifts devastating
    India's Sundarbans and advocates for policy changes and better
    implementation of the already existing policies.
   CSE uses knowledge-based activism to create awareness about problems
    and propose sustainable solutions.

Factoids
The Migingo Island

   Island rises out of the waters of Lake Victoria like an iron-plated turtle.
   The densely populated island is barely a quarter of a hectare large.

 For over a decade, Migingo has been a source of tension between Uganda
     and Kenya, who have been unable to decide to whom it really belongs.

Sources – PIB ,The Hindu , livemint
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