Hindu Notes from General Studies-01

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Glacier melting passes point of no return

News

• The further melting of glaciers worldwide cannot be prevented in the current century – even if all the emissions are curtailed, a study has found.

Beyond News

• In the long run, 500 metres by car with a mid-range vehicle will cost one kilogramme of glacier ice.
• In the Paris Agreement, 195 member states of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed to limit the rise in global average temperature to significantly below two degrees Celsius.
• Melting glaciers have a huge influence on the development of sea level rise.
• Whether the average temperature rises by 2 or only 1.5 degrees Celsius makes no significant difference for the development of glacier mass loss over the next 100 years.
• Around 36 per cent of the ice still stored in glaciers today would melt even without further emissions of greenhouse gases.
• That means more than a third of the glacier ice that still exists today in mountain glaciers can no longer be saved, even with the most ambitious measures.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

Indian sign language dictionary released

News

• It may have only 3,000 words, but it is the first step to a potentially huge resource for the country’s 50 lakh deaf citizens and almost 20 lakh people with speech disabilities.

Aim

• The aim of developing the Indian Sign Language Dictionary was to remove communications barriers between the deaf and hearing communities.

Beyond News

• The country’s first sign language dictionary, in the works for one and a half years, was launched by the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment .
• The dictionary, developed by the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre, has subtitled videos depicting the various signs.
• It includes legal, medical, academic and technical terms.

India among 20 nations that pledged $100 million to agency for Palestine refugees

News

• India is among 20 nations that have pledged a total of about $100 million to the United Nations (UN) relief agency charged with the well-being of Palestinian refugees across the Middle East.

Beyond News

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced gratitude for the generous pledges of approximately $100 million made at the Extraordinary Ministerial Conference in Rome on March 15 titled ‘Preserving Dignity and Sharing Responsibility Mobilizing Collective Action for UNRWA’
• Almost 20 donors pledged additional contributions, including Qatar, Norway, Turkey, Canada, India and Switzerland.
• Giving details of the pledges made by the nations, spokesman told that the Emir of the Qatar pledged $50 million in new contributions, while Norway pledged $13.6 million, Turkey $10 million and a doubling of their food aid, Canada $7.7 million, India $5 million and Switzerland $4.2 million.
• He said the ministerial conference was an “exceptional demonstration” of high-level support for UNRWA’s mandate and a recognition for the continued necessity of its work in support of over five million Palestine .

Insurers cannot reject claims on genetic disorder clause

News

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has directed insurers not to reject any claim, on existing policies, based on exclusions related to ‘genetic disorder’.

Beyond News

• It also advised the companies to refrain from including ‘genetic disorders’ as one of the exclusions in new health insurance policies.
• A circular in this regard, to all life, general and health insurers, follows the High Court of Delhi, in a case, directing IRDAI to take a re-look at the exclusionary clauses in insurance contracts.
• The High Court wanted the regulator to ensure that insurance companies do not reject claims on the basis of exclusions relating to genetic disorders.
• The High Court had, in the matter of United India Insurance Company versus Jai Parkash Tayal, held that the exclusionary clause of ‘genetic disorders’, in the insurance policy, is too broad, ambiguous and discriminatory hence violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India, a circular from IRDAI (Non Life).
• Thus, in pursuance of the High Court’s directions, all insurance companies offering contracts of health insurance are directed that no claim in respect of any existing health insurance policy shall be rejected based on exclusions related to ‘genetic disorder’.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Supreme Court issues notice on Polavaram project

News

• The Supreme Court asked the Centre, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh to respond to a petition challenging the implementation of the Polavaram project.

Polavaram project

• Polavaram Projectis a multi-purpose irrigation project which has been accorded national project status by the union government. This dam across the Godavari River is under construction located in West Godavari Districtand East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh state and its reservoir spreads in parts of Chhattisgarh and OdishaStates also .

Beyond News

• The petition filed by NGO RELA, represented by advocate Sravan Kumar, is against an order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which refused to go into the merits of the issue for the sole reason that a similar matter is pending in the Supreme Court.
• A Bench issued notice to the Centre and the States as Mr. Kumar urged that the project was nearing completion and an intervention should be made forthwith.
• He argued that the rights protected under various laws such as the Scheduled Tribes and Other Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 have been blatantly violated by the project.
• He claimed large-scale destruction of environment, forests and irreparable loss to about four lakh people, including 2.5 lakh tribals and Dalits due to the Polavaram project.

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