Hindu Notes from General Studies-01

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Recently there has been a drop in the size of the sharks and their numbers.

News

• India is one of the world’s largest shark fishing nations and Maharashtra and Gujarat together contribute more than 50% of the harvest. But recently there has been a drop in the size of the sharks and their numbers.
• This has affected the fisheries sector and traders.

Findings

• A study done in 2014 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had pointed out that a quarter of all the sharks, rays and other cartilaginous fish have a high risk of extinction.
• Another recent study published last year by researchers from over 15 countries added that about 50% of chondrichthyan species (sharks, rays and other cartilaginous fish) in the Arabian Sea were found to be in the threatened category of the IUCN.
• Overfishing is one of the main reasons. In India there is a high domestic demand for shark meat.
• This study helped break the common perception that the sharks are caught for fin and exported. They found that for most of the fisherfolk, sharks were a non-target catch and was just an additional income.
• Few fishermen told us that they have sold large sharks for even ₹30,000 to ₹50,000.
• Coastal sharks and rays visit the areas near the shore during the breeding season but current disruption by fishing and coastal development play a major role in the sharks’ sudden decline. Various studies have pointed fingers at improved and modern fishing gear, use of trawlers and deep-sea fishing for the loss.
• In 2013, The Ministry of Environment & Forests had brought out a policy called “Fins Naturally Attached” to prevent finning of sharks. But this did not bring about a major impact as there was still demand for whole sharks.
• Also, the Indian Wildlife Act of 1972 has proved inadequate in protecting this species. Due to various efforts by the Government, only the whale shark numbers have made a revival.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

Iran releases 9 Indians from detained ship

News

• Iran has released nine out of 12 Indians who were on board the ship MT Riah that was detained, official sources said.

Beyond News

• However, 21 Indians are still in detention in Iran three from MT Riah and 18 from British oil tanker Stena Impero which was seized last week by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Strait of Hormuzfor alleged violation of international maritime rules.
• Indian Embassy got consular access to the 18 Indians who were on board Impero.
• Also, 24 Indian crew members, who were on board shipping vessel ‘Grace 1’, which was detained by Gibraltar police authorities, are also under detention.
• The boats have been seized amid ongoing tensions between Iran and the U.S. since Washington began reimposing sanctions on Tehran.
• Indian officials have met the 24 Indian crew members who were on board shipping vessel ‘Grace 1’ and assured them that the government will take necessary steps to ensure their release and repatriation, the External Affairs Ministry said Thursday.
• Iranian oil tanker ‘Grace 1’ was seized off the Spanish coast earlier this month by British marines and Gibraltar police.
• A team of the Indian High Commission in London met the Indian crew and staff on board VLCC Grace 1.

 Companies Bill tightens CSR compliance

News

• The Lok Sabha passed the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2019 which seeks to amend the Companies Act, 2013 and is aimed at tightening the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) compliance, transferring certain responsibilities to the National Company Law Tribunal and re-categorising certain offences as civil offences.
• It replaced an ordinance promulgated earlier.

Beyond News

• Bill would ensure further ease of doing business for companies.
• This will ensure better governance and is company-friendly.
• The government has so far de-registered four lakh shell companies. Also companies not spending the mandatory 2% profit on CSR activities for a total period of four years will be required to deposit the amount in a special account.
• India has become the first country to make CSR spending mandatory through a law. The companies will have one year to firm up the CSR proposal and another three years to spend funds. In case money remains unspent for one plus three years, it will have to be moved to an escrow account.
• The bill will also empower the Registrar of Companies (ROC) to initiate action for the removal of the name of the company from the Register of companies if it is not carrying on any business or operation in according with the company law.

H1N1 biggest killer of all the monsoon diseases

News

• In a trend that has become a cause for concern for Maharashtra State health authorities, nearly 82% of deaths caused by the H1N1 influenza virus were reported from the private sector.

Beyond News

• The infection continues to be the biggest killer amongst seasonal ailments in the State with 192 deaths this year so far. Heat-related diseases, the second on the list, stood far behind at nine deaths, this year. Meanwhile, dengue has claimed two lives and malaria has taken one victim.
• The analysis of the deaths has also revealed that delay in the initiation of the treatment is one of the main reasons for mortality.
• H1N1 is an airborne respiratory disease caused by the type-A influenza virus. This year, the virus has infected 1,917 people so far.
• Oseltamivir is the medicine that works against H1N1. It is available under various brand names like Tamiflu and Antiflu. State’s health secretary Pradeep Vyas said as per the protocol drawn by the health department, doctors should not wait for a patient to test positive for H1N1.
• The analysis of the H1N1 deaths has also revealed that a majority of the deaths were in the age group of 30 to 50 years. Earlier, high mortality was seen in patients with underlying health conditions but this trend is not seen widely any more.

Pakistan imports over $36 million of anti-rabies, anti-venom vaccines from India

News

• Over $36 million of anti-rabies and anti-venom vaccines have been imported by Pakistan from India due to lack of manufacturing capacity in the country.

Beyond News

• In the last 16 months, Pakistan imported anti-rabies and anti-venom vaccines worth over Rs 250 crores ($36 million) from India.
• National Health Services (NHS) said that both anti-rabies and anti-venom serum were manufactured in Pakistan by the National Institute of Health, while a private company also manufactured anti-venom serum locally.
• However, the capacity of both manufacturers was not enough to fulfil the demand due to which the vaccines are imported by duly-approved registration holders of these products from India.
• Pakistan was buying the vaccines despite the chill in bilateral ties, especially after the Pulwama terror attack by a suicide bomber belonging to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist.
• The report submitted by NHS also revealed that there was a gap in demand and supply of vaccines in different regions of the country.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Kerala may have undercounted jumbos

News

• Kerala may have undercounted almost 2,700 elephants in the latest elephant census, the response to a question in the Lok Sabha on India’s elephant numbers indicated.

Beyond News

• In 2017, the Union environment ministry reported that there were 27,312 elephants on average in the country according to figures collated from 23 States, a decline from the 29,576 elephants recorded as the mean figure in 2012.
• The exercise was part of the elephant census, conducted once in 5 years under the aegis of Project Elephant.
• In response to a question on the ‘census of wild animals’, the environment ministry said that the updated 2017 figures showed 29,964 elephants on average, or a slight increase from 2012’s mean.
• The earlier 2017 figures indicated that Kerala had only 3,054 elephants whereas, number showed Kerala as having 5,706 elephants. The Andaman and Nicobar islands was the only other region that showed a different number from its 2017 estimate: 25 as opposed to the earlier 19.
• A scientist associated with the census said that the discrepancy had resulted from Kerala’s insistence in 2017 on using a technique called the ‘direct count’ method.
• Because sighting animals in the wild is hard, researchers over the years have used several proxies as well as statistical techniques to estimate population.
• The method in vogue is the ‘indirect count’ method that estimates populations in a region based on sightings of elephant dung. Kerala’s revised figure as the answer to the Lok Sabha indicates is likely based on the indirect count.

10% quota only for BPL category

News

• The 10% economic reservation for Hindu forward caste members in the appointments to Devaswom boards will be restricted to applicants hailing from Below the Poverty Line (BPL) families.

Beyond News

• A meeting of the Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board (KDRB) decided to limit the benefits of the economic reservation to those from BPL families till a comprehensive norm for the identification of economic backwardness is evolved.
• For employment in various Central government departments, the benefits of economic reservation are available only for candidates from families with an annual income less than ₹8 lakh and who does not enjoy the benefits of caste reservation.
• A section of forward caste community organisations have been campaigning for the ₹8 lakh income ceiling in the State too for identifying economically weaker sections among the unreserved communities in the State.
• However, the KDRB decided to go ahead with the BPL norm for the time being.
• The board meeting also decided to enhance the caste reservation quota of Ezahavas, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Caste Hindus in the appointments to Devaswom boards.
• Going by the revised quota, there would be 17% reservation for the Ezhavas, 12% for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and 6% for OBCs.
• The appointments to Devaswom boards are reserved for Hindus.

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