Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

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Universal Health Scheme to be launched in two weeks

News:

• A day after the announcement of the National Health Protection Scheme by the Modi government, the Karnataka government has decided to roll out the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the third week of February, bringing all government health schemes under one umbrella.

Significance:

• Karnataka would be the first State to implement the scheme in the country.

Beyond News:

• Under the UHC, entire population of the State (1.43 crore families) would be brought under the health scheme, irrespective of the income of the families.
• There would be no cap on the medical expenditure to be incurred by any patient in government hospitals at all levels primary, secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.
• The estimated annual expenditure for implementation of the scheme would be Rs. 1,500 crore.
• Minister for Health and Family said that, UHC cards would be issued to all families/individuals in government healthcare utilities. Separate cards would be issued to the people suffering from non-communicable diseases.
• Within a month of the launch, the scheme would be implemented fully across the State.

India will work with Oli government, says Sushma.

News:

• Ministry of External Affairs said that,India was “looking forward” to work with the newly elected government of Nepal.

Beyond News:

• Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that,External Affairs Minister conveyed to all political leaders of Nepal that India is looking forward to working with the democratically elected government to take forward bilateral ties to newer heights for mutual benefit, and to support the Government of Nepal as per its priorities, in its endeavours for rapid economic growth and development.
• Ms Swaraj reached Kathmandu on Thursday beginning an engagement with the CPN-UML leader and Prime Minister-elect K. P. Sharma Oli who was expected to take oath soon. The visit coincided with the announcement Rs 650 crore for Nepal in the Union Budget .
• Mr Oli along with his alliance partners were also noted for carryig out an anti-India campaign during the 2017 election. However, making a fresh beginning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had phoned Mr Oli after his election victory and congratulated him.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Pak. official helped organise J&K violence: NIA

News:

• The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a charge sheet has said a Pakistan High Commission staffer, who was expelled in 2016 on allegations of spying, had helped persons carry out terrorist and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. Several of these persons were arrested last year.

Beyond News:

• The charge sheet does not name the official but details the “pattern” of his meetings with separatist leaders that led to protests and violence in the Kashmir Valley.
• The official, Mehboob Akhtar, was declared a persona non grata and sent back to Pakistan after he was caught by the Delhi police in October 2016 for allegedly receiving sensitive documents pertaining to national security.
• The NIA filed a 12,794-page charge sheet against 12 people, including Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul Mujahideen head Syed Salahuddin in a city court last month.
• In the charge sheet, the agency has traced the militant activities in J&K since early 90s and says the protests in the Valley in the aftermath of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in 2016 were “not spontaneous” but a part of an “organised effort.”
• Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces.
• The charge sheet also says that the 2008 and 2010 unrest in J&K that saw over hundred people dead were also “organised” by anti-India forces.

Dust mitigation plan must for firms

News:

• The Environment Ministry has made it mandatory for companies seeking environment clearance to ensure that they put in place a dust mitigation plan.

Beyond News:

• The requirements, specified in a gazette notification on January 25, say that roads leading to or at construction sites must be paved and black-topped.
• There could be no soil excavation without adequate dust mitigation measures in place. No loose soil, sand, construction waste could be left uncovered. A water sprinkling system was mandatory, and the measures taken should be prominently displayed at the construction site.
• A study by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and commissioned by the Delhi government reported, in 2015, that road dust, burning of biomass and municipal solid waste, constituted the lion’s share of the city’s air pollution.
• The grinding and cutting of building materials in open area were prohibited and no uncovered vehicles carrying construction material and waste would be permitted.
• The standards were developed by the Central Pollution Control Board as part of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), and will now empower the organisation to fine companies and agencies for not complying with norms.

Road dust, key villain:

• Road dust contributed 56% of all PM10 pollution, while it was 38% for PM2.5.
• Before PM2.5 became the focus of attention for its role in lodging itself in the lungs and for being a key component of diesel emissions  dust was the key villain for a long time.
• Dust is a generic term for a vast mix of metals and non-metals silicon, aluminium, titanium, manganese, copper, barium, antimony, selenium and zinc.

Tulsi and ashvagandha to purify Hyderabad lake

News:

• The FTW( floating treatment wetland) on Neknampur Lake was inaugurated on February 2, World Wetlands Day.

Beyond News:

• It has already been recognised by the India Book of Records as the largest FTW in the country.
• Measuring 3,000 sq. ft., the FTW is a joint effort of Dhruvansh, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority, the Ranga Reddy district administration and other organisations.

 Floating treatment wetland (FTW):

• The floating treatment wetland (FTW) includes Several plants that helps to clean the lake by absorbing nutrients such as excess nitrates and oxygen present in the water. They thus reduce the content of these chemicals.
• Based on the soil-less hydroponics technique, the FTW comprises four layers. Floatable bamboo forms its base, over which Styrofoam cubicles are placed.
• The third layer consists of gunny bags. The final layer is of gravel. Hydroponics permits plants to grow only on sunlight and water. There is no need of soil.
• There are small holes at the bottom which facilitate the flow of nutrients from the water to the plants (biological uptake process), which are held upright by the gravel layer.
• Cleaning agents planted on the FTW include vetivers, canna, cattalis, bulrush, citronella, hibiscus, fountain grass, flowering herbs, tulsi and ashvagandha.
• Micro-organisms growing on the FTW and plant root systems break down and consume the organic matter in the water through microbial decomposition. The root systems filter out sediments and pollutants.
• The NGO claims that FTW is strong and can hold the weight of as many as four people. Compared to sewage treatment plants, this method is much cheaper.

Periodic biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) readings are taken from the Pollution Control Board. When the project began, the BOD was 27 mg/l.

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