{"id":16724,"date":"2023-09-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-06T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/uncategorized\/06-09-2023\/daily-current-affairs-06-09-2023\/"},"modified":"2023-09-06T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T00:00:00","slug":"daily-current-affairs-06-09-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/06-09-2023\/daily-current-affairs-06-09-2023","title":{"rendered":"Daily Current Affairs &#8211; 06-09-2023"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<html><body><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:20pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><u>Laws governing forests of the Northeast<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Syllabus :GS 2\/Governance\/GS 3\/Environment\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The Mizoram Assembly unanimously passed a resolution opposing the<\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/editorial-analysis\/12-07-2023\" style=\"text-decoration:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><strong><u> Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, \u201cto <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>protect the rights<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>interest of the people <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">of Mizoram\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The Nagaland Assembly will also face strident demands to pass a resolution against the Amendment.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse; border:none; table-layout:fixed; width:624px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#d9ead3; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; border-left:1px solid #000000; border-right:1px solid #000000; border-top:1px solid #000000; vertical-align:top\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current-affairs\/02-08-2023\" style=\"text-decoration:none\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><strong><u>Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The amendment allows the diversion of forest land for roads, railway lines or \u201cstrategic linear projects of national importance and concerning national security\u201d within 100 km of India\u2019s international borders or lines of control, without a forest clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act (FCA) 1980.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Most of India\u2019s Northeast falls in this 100 km range.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Applicability to the Northeast<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Special constitutional protections, such as <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Article 371A for Nagaland and 371G <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">for Mizoram, prohibit the application of any law enacted by Parliament that impinges on Naga and Mizo customary law and procedure, and ownership and transfer of land and its resources.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Such laws can be extended to these States only if their Legislative Assemblies decide thus in a resolution.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>State Wise Details\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In 1<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>986<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, Nagaland extended the application of the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> FCA <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u201cto government forests and such other forests and Wildlife Sanctuaries under the control of [the] State Government\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In December <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>1997<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, the Home Ministry confirmed that the FCA is covered under the term <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>\u201cland resources<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u201d and is not applicable to Nagaland, as its Legislative Assembly had not adopted any resolution to apply FCA to the State.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>November 1998<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, the Environment Ministry informed the Nagaland government that FCA is indeed applicable to the State as <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>clarified by the Ministry of Law and Justice.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Mizoram<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">:\u00a0 In 1986, the Union Territory became a State with the 53rd amendment of the Constitution, adding <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Article 371G to the Constitution<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It stipulated that all Central Acts in force before 1986 are extended to the State, including the FCA.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The FCA is applicable in the rest of the Northeast \u2014 in Meghalaya and Tripura, the Sixth Schedule Areas within these States, and in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Manipur.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Arunachal Pradesh<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> ranked first among these States in FCA clearance (21,786.45 ha)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse; border:none; table-layout:fixed; width:624px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#cfe2f3; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; border-left:1px solid #000000; border-right:1px solid #000000; border-top:1px solid #000000; vertical-align:top\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>What is RFA?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Over a million hectares of forest have been diverted nationwide under FCA since 1980.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>FCA exists to deforest the forest,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> under the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> Indian Forest Act 1927<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> or its State versions.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In 1996, the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> Supreme Court expanded <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">the term <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>\u201cforest land\u201d <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">in the FCA in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Godavarman <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">case to \u201cn<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>ot only include \u2018forest\u2019 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">as understood in the dictionary sense, but also <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>any area recorded as forest in the Government<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> record irrespective of the ownership\u201d, thus extending the FCA to unclassed forests.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">These are <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>recorded forests<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> but not notified as forests.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">More than half of the Northeast is <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Recorded Forest Area (RFA<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The apex court\u2019s 1996 order brought unclassed forests under the FCA\u2019s purview everywhere.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Current Status\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act (FRA) <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>2006<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, \u201cforest land\u201d includes unclassified forests, undemarcated forests, existing or deemed forests, protected forests, reserved forests, Sanctuaries and National Parks.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">This complied with the 1<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>996 Supreme Court redefinition<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u00a0The Ministry of Tribal Affairs <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>can also issue legally enforceable direction<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">s under Section 12 of the FRA, paving the way for this.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The Environment Ministry mandated FRA implementation and prior informed consent of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Gram Sabha in 2009<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> to admit a forest diversion proposal.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The responsibility was delegated to the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>District Collector,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> who ironically also headed the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>District Committee <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">that issues FRA titles.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The Ministry\u2019s 2022<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> Forest Conservation Rules<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> eliminated compliance with the FRA before final approval altogether.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Challenges in implementation\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">None of the Northeast States have implemented FRA except for Assam and Tripura.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The reasons include the FRA being <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>\u2018irrelevant\u2019 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">as communities, clans, chiefs and individuals own most of the land, that their rights are already being enjoyed and a lack of forest-dwellers who are totally forest dependent.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Conclusion and Way Forward\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>States can formulate and take legal measures<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> to ensure mandatory fulfilment of the FRA before recommending a forest diversion proposal, and ensuring Gram Sabha consent before handing over forest land.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Ministry of Tribal Affairs can also issue legally enforceable directions<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> under the FRA, or even enact a separate law, to recognise and settle forest rights.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">This way, the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>States and the Tribal Affairs Ministry <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">have a way to provide tenurial security to forest-dwellers and protect the forests.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Source:<\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/50727\/OPS\/GC4BNB7RM.1+GDLBNC0D1.1.html\" style=\"text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:20pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><u>Vaccine Diplomacy<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Issues related to Health; International Relations<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Context<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">During the COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time in history, three non-Western powers \u2014 Russia, China and India \u2014 dominated international vaccine diplomacy.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Brief Background<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Traditionally, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Western powers<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> have been the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>major donors<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> of health aid while <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>non-western nations have been the recipients<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Aid of this kind has been a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>part of a country\u2019s diplomatic toolkit<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, to be deployed judiciously<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> in pursuit of geopolitical goals.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">During the Cold War, the two big powers, the U.S. and the Soviet Union, both developed and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>delivered vaccines against smallpox and polio<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, in what came to be known as<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> \u2018vaccine diplomacy\u2019.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Reasons for domination of Non-Western countries<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">These countries, Russia, China and India, were more proactive than Western powers in distributing vaccines to emerging markets, because of:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:decimal\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Countries were in desperate need of vaccines;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:decimal\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Western nations were hoarding vaccines.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">This provided an opening for non-Western powers to step in with their geopolitical aims and political, economic and technological constraints determined the nature and scope of vaccine diplomacy, with the focus on:<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Vaccine R&#038;D:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> Countries with an advantage in vaccine R&#038;D would be more open to technology transfer;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Manufacturing:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> Countries with greater manufacturing capability would be more likely to keep vaccine production within their borders than outsourcing it overseas;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Delivery:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> Countries with expansive distribution networks would prefer bilateral to multilateral distribution.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Role of Russia: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Russia, which is <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>strong in vaccine R&#038;D<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>weak in production and distribution<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, has relied on <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>outsourcing vaccine production with technology<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>transfer<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, having advantages like:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It is to promote sales when its vaccines have low global credibility and or encourage offshore production has limited domestic production capacity.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It is to secure vaccine supply to developing countries and to develop their pharmaceutical industry.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Role of China: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">China\u2019s vaccine diplomacy is the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>costliest<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, with tremendous investments in vaccine development, production, and distribution.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It provided <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>preferential access only to African and ASEAN countries<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> \u2014 regions that are focus areas of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Role of India<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">India was producing <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>about 60% of the world\u2019s vaccines even before the Covid-19,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> and it was characterised by <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>mass-production of Western-invented vaccines<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, prompt bilateral donations, and large-scale sales to bilateral buyers and multilateral COVAX initiative.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The \u2018Western-invented\u2019 Covishield was the major currency of India\u2019s vaccine diplomacy, as it leveraged the massive capacity of SII, the world\u2019s largest vaccine producer.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Vacciner Maitri:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> It is a large-scale <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>bilateral program<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> launched by India to help world countries, with<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> priority access to its neighbouring countries<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, under the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>\u2018Neighbourhood First\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> Policy and having sizeable populations of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Indian diaspora.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Nepal and Myanmar, sharing a border with both India, are the big beneficiary of India\u2019s vaccine diplomacy.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Geo-Political Balance: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">India concentrated donations on countries with which it has strong geopolitical and economic ties, but it sold a much larger sum to relatively wealthy countries beyond its geopolitical reach.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">India balanced geopolitical interests and financial reality by carefully deciding vaccine donation and\/or commercial sales to countries of geopolitical importance.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">India exported nearly 80% of vaccine doses on a commercial basis to developed countries; and,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Only Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Nepal received more than 1 million vaccine doses as a donation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Issues with India\u2019s Vaccine Diplomacy<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">India\u2019s vaccine diplomacy was interrupted by the second wave of COVID-19, because of high domestic demand amid spiralling infection rates, it banned all vaccine exports, which provided an opportunity for China to step up and fill the gap.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Both Russia and China invested heavily into vaccine R&#038;D, but India did not.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In India, SII and Bharat Biotech had to finance their own production without support from the Indian government.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It was only after the Delta wave of Covid-19, the Indian government agreed to provide $600 million to these two companies to expand production.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Slow and limited governmental support<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> made it unavoidable for India to delay its promised vaccine delivery to COVAX and bilateral buyers by half a year, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>affecting India\u2019s reputation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> as a reliable vaccine supplier.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>India<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, with less advanced R&#038;D, sought to sustain the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>image of a humanitarian actor <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">who supplies advanced Western pharmaceuticals at affordable prices.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Way Forward<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">India is regarded as the vaccine manufacturing hub of the world, contributing 60% to the global vaccine supply.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">For over two decades, India has acquired the reputation of being the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>\u2018pharmacy of the world\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> as its strong generic pharmaceutical industry has been supplying affordable medicines conforming to quality standards to the global markets.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Vaccine diplomacy, at least in the short-term, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>mitigates outright conflicts between the rising powers<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, with the help of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>interdependence <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">of each other.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">For example, when Russia (a member of BRICS countries, which are intertwined in the complex structure of vaccine enterprise) received bulk orders from Brazil, it outsourced production to China and India and China that had conducted clinical trials in Brazil and Russia.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><a href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/50727\/OPS\/GC4BNB7RN.1+GDLBNC0CP.1.html\" style=\"text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"margin-left:48px; text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:20pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><u>Controversy on India To Be Called Bharat<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/ Polity &#038; Constitution\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Recently, an official invitation to a G20 dinner stated that it is hosted by \u201cThe President of Bharat\u201d instead of the usual \u201cPresident of India\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Use of \u2018Bharat\u2019<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Article 1 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">of the Constitution uses the two names interchangeably: \u201cIndia, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Several names such as Reserve Bank of India and the Indian Railways already have Hindi variants with \u201cBharatiya\u201d in them.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>History of \u201cBharat\u201d to \u201dIndia\u201d<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Puranic literature:\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The roots of \u201c<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Bharat<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u201d, \u201c<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Bharata<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u201d, or \u201c<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Bharatvarsha<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u201d are traced back to<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> Puranic literature<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, and to the epic <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Mahabharata<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Puranas <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">describe Bharata as the land between the \u201csea in the south and the abode of snow in the north\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Name of a king: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Bharata is also the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>name of the ancient king<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> of legend who was the ancestor of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Rig Vedic tribe of the Bharatas<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, and by extension, the progenitor of all peoples of the subcontinent.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Religious and socio-cultural entity: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Social scientist <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Catherine Cl\u00e9mentin-Ojha <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">explained Bharata in the sense of a religious and socio-cultural entity, rather than a political or geographical one.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u2018Bharata\u2019 refers to the \u201csupraregional and subcontinental territory where the Brahmanical system of society prevails\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>British India: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">From the late 18th century onwards, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>British maps<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> increasingly began to use the name \u2018India\u2019, and \u2018Hindustan\u2019 started to lose its association with all of South Asia.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u201cPart of the appeal of the term India may have been its<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> Graeco-Roman associations<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, its long history of use in Europe, and its adoption by scientific and bureaucratic organisations such as the Survey of India\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Making of Constitution: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In his monumental \u2018Discovery of India\u2019, Nehru referred to \u201cIndia\u201d, \u201cBharata\u201d and \u201cHindustan\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">But when the question of naming India in the Constitution arose, \u2018Hindustan\u2019 was dropped, and both \u2018Bharat\u2019 and \u2018India\u2019 were retained.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Various arguments on \u2018Bharat\u2019 or \u2018India\u2019<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Constituent assembly: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Several members of the constituent assembly expressed themselves against the use of \u2018India\u2019, which they saw as a reminder of the colonial past.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">A popular demand by several members was also to underline that India was a substitute for Bharat in \u201cEnglish language\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Many assembly members argued that the word \u2018India\u2019 was only a translation of Bharat.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Choosing \u2018Bharat\u2019 before \u2018India\u2019: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Critics also feel that the assembly should have put the words \u201cBharat known as India\u201d instead of \u201cIndia, that is Bharat\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Historians and philologists: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Historians and philologists have delved deep into this matter of the name of this country, especially the origin of this name Bharat. All of them are not agreed as to the genesis of this name Bharat.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">A few suggested \u201cBharat\u201d or \u201cBharatvarsha\u201d or \u201cBharatbhumi\u201d as possible names that are derived from scriptures.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Opinions on recent change: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Unless any intention to the contrary is made explicit, the terminology is only a question of semantics.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">One of the constitutional experts said there was nothing wrong in sending an invitation as the \u201cPresident of Bharat\u201d. However, it should not be seen as the first step towards doing away with the use of the English language.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Global examples: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">According to a few, Sri Lanka eschewed the name Ceylon long ago, but we cling to the name left behind by the invaders.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Supreme Court\u2019s opinion<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In 2020, the Supreme Court had dismissed a PIL seeking to remove \u201cIndia\u201d from the Constitution and retain only Bharat in order to \u201censure the citizens of this country get over the colonial past\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Apex court opined that, \u201cIndia is already called Bharat in the Constitution itself.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">CJI upheld the right of the individual to choose between the two names.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Way ahead<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The government may decide to make &#8216;Bharat&#8217; the official name of the country.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">However, they will be required to introduce a bill in the Parliament to amend Article 1 of the Constitution.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">While there is no constitutional objection to calling India &#8216;Bharat&#8217;, completely dispense with &#8216;India&#8217; which has incalculable brand value is futile.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Source: TH<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:20pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><u>Malaviya Mission<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Syllabus:GS2\/ Education<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The Union Minister for Education and Skill Development &#038; Entrepreneurship launched the Malaviya Mission.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Malaviya Mission &#8211; Teacher Training Programme<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> is organized by the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> University Grants Commission (UGC)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, in association with the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> Ministry of Education.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>The two-week online programme<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> shall focus on various themes identified for course curriculum\/content for capacity building of faculty members at higher educational institutions.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>The 8 themes <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">include Holistic and Multidisciplinary Education, Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), Academic Leadership, Governance and Management, Higher Education and Society, Research and Development, Skill Development, Student Diversity and Inclusive Education and Information and Communication Technology.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The UGC has established a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>dedicated portal for faculty members<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> to register for the capacity-building programmes.It was also announced to rename the Human Resource Development Centres (HRDCs) as <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Madan Mohan Malaviya Teachers Training Centre.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Significance<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The programme shall help develop<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> innovative teaching methods<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> and high-level institutional facilities in all the constituent areas of higher education.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It aims to improve the quality of teachers training, build leadership skills in teachers and help realize the goals of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>National Education Policy (NEP)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse; border:none; table-layout:fixed; width:624px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #000000; border-left:1px solid #000000; border-right:1px solid #000000; border-top:1px solid #000000; vertical-align:top\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads Teachers Holistic Advancement)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>NISHTHA<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> is a National Mission to improve learning outcomes at the elementary level through an Integrated Teacher Training Programme under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Samagra Shiksha in 2019-20<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It has been launched by <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>the Department of School Education and Literacy.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It is a capacity building programme for &#8220;<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Improving Quality of School Education through Integrated Teacher Training&#8221;<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It aims to build competencies among all the teachers and school principals at the elementary stage.It is the world&#8217;s largest teachers&#8217; training programme of its kind.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1954967\" style=\"text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><strong><u>PIB<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:20pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><u>Marine Sand Extraction<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Conservation of Environment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>News:\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u201cAround six billion tonnes of sand is being extracted annually from the floor of the world\u2019s oceans, causing irreparable damage to benthic life,\u201d according to a data platform, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Marine Sand Watch.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>About:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The new data platform, Marine Sand Watch, has been developed by <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>GRID-Geneva, a Centre for Analytics within the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The platform will <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>track and monitor dredging activities of sand, clay, silt, gravel, and rock in the world\u2019s marine environment, <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">including hotspots like the North Sea, Southeast Asia, and the East Coast of the United States.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The platform has estimated that between <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>four and eight billion tonnes of sand are being dredged from the ocean floor every year.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Even more alarmingly, this number is<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> expected to rise to 10 to 16 billion tonnes per year,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> which is the natural replenishment rate or the amount that rivers need to maintain coastal and marine ecosystem structure and function.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Impacts of Marine Sand Extraction:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The extraction of sand <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>increases the turbidity of water.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>changes nutrient availability and causes noise pollution<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, thus affecting marine organisms greatly.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Not just benthic organisms, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>people living in coastal communities will also be severely affected<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> by this magnitude of sand dredging, according to the UNEP.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Shallow sea mining for sand and gravel <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>poses a threat to coastal communities in the face of rising sea levels and storms<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Coastal or near-shore extraction can <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>also affect the salinisation of aquifers and future tourist development.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Way Ahead:\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Some countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>have banned marine sand export in the last 20 years,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> while others lack any legislation and \/or effective monitoring programmes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The UNEP had called for <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>better monitoring of sand extraction and use in its 2022 Sand and Sustainability report.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It had also <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>recommended to stop the sand extraction on beaches and the active beach-nearshore sand system<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> for the purpose of mining sand as a resource and<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>to establish an international standard on sand extraction<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> in the marine environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Source: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.downtoearth.org.in\/news\/environment\/6-billion-tonnes-of-sand-taken-annually-from-oceans-causing-irreparable-damage-to-benthic-life-91571\" style=\"text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><u>DTE\u00a0<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:20pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><u>Ecocide<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Conservation of Environment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>News:\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Mexico\u2019s \u2018Maya train\u2019 project<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> has been criticised as a \u201cmegaproject of death\u201d causing an ecological disaster in the region.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>About:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The project has acquired a contradictory reputation. Some describe it as a<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> \u201cPharaonic project\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">(renaissance period), with a route <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>connecting tourists in the Caribbean with historic Maya sites.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It has also been described as a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>\u201cmegaproject of death\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> because it <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>imperils the Yucat\u00e1n peninsula and its rich wilderness, ancient cave systems, and Indigenous communities.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The Tribunal for the Rights of Nature said the project caused <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>\u201ccrimes of ecocide and ethnocide\u201d.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>What is ecocide?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Ecocide, derived from Greek and Latin, translates to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>\u201ckilling one\u2019s home\u201d or \u201cenvironment\u201d.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Such \u2018killing\u2019 could include<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> port expansion projects<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> that destroy fragile marine life and local livelihoods; <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>deforestation; illegal sand-mining; and polluting rivers<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> with untreated sewage.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The biologist<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> Arthur Galston <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">in 1970 is credited with <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>first linking environmental destruction with genocide<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, when referring to the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>U.S. military\u2019s use of Agent Orange(<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">a chemical herbicide used to clear trees and vegetation<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>) in the Vietnam War.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">British lawyer Polly Higgins became the linchpin when in 2010 she urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>to recognise ecocide as an international crime.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Today, the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> Rome Statute of the ICC<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> deals with four atrocities: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> but not the ecocide.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">There is<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> no accepted legal definition of ecocide,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> but a panel of lawyers in June 2021 for the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Stop Ecocide Foundation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> proposed, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>ecocide constitutes the \u201cunlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> being caused by those acts.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Polly Higgins describes Ecocide as <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>\u201cExtensive loss, damage to or destruction of ecosystems<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> \u2026 such that the peaceful enjoyment by the inhabitants has been or will be severely diminished.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Why should ecocide be a crime?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Ecocide is <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>a crime in 11 countries, with 27 others considering laws to criminalise environmental damage <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">that is wilfully caused and harms humans, animals, and plants.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The European Parliament voted unanimously this year to enshrine ecocide in law.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Most national definitions penalise \u201cmass destruction of flora and fauna\u201d, \u201cpoisoning the atmosphere or water resources\u201d or \u201cdeliberate actions capable of causing an ecological disaster.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The ICC and Ukraine\u2019s public prosecutor are also investigating <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Russia\u2019s role in the collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam, <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">which unleashed a flood that drowned 40 regions, and released oils and toxic fluids into the Black Sea.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Over a third of the earth\u2019s animal and plant species could be extinct by 2050.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> Unprecedented heat waves have broken records worldwide. Changing rainfall schemes have disrupted flood and drought patterns.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reiterated in March 2023 that global climate action remains \u201c<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>insufficient<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In this milieu, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>an amendment to the Rome Statute could prompt countries around the world to draft their own laws<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, and individual countries that have incorporated ecocide in their laws could in turn build pressure on the ICC.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Ecocide laws could also double up as calls for justice for low- and middle-income countries<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> disproportionately affected by climate change.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Small nation-states like <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Vanuatu and Barbuda<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> are already lobbying the ICC to declare crimes against the environment to be violations of international law.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Limitations to defining ecocide<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Some experts have called <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>the concept and its definition ambiguous<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> and as setting a very low threshold to implicating an entity.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Words like <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>\u201clong-term\u201d or \u201cwidespread damage\u201d are abstract <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">and leave room for misinterpretation, Prof. Siddiqui said.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It also constructs a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>development-versus-environment narrative <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">and some argue it could mean that it is \u2018okay\u2019 to destroy the environment as long as it benefits humans.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The threshold to prove \u2018ecocide\u2019 may also be too high. Countries like Belarus and Moldova specify \u201cintentional\u201d or \u201cdeliberate\u201d destruction, but environmental disasters are not caused intentionally or deliberately.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>The ICC also has limited legal powers as well as an uneven track record <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">of converting prosecutions and convictions.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Specifically, the court\u2019s power is limited to \u201cnatural persons,\u201d so without any significant changes, the ICC will not be unable to hold corporate entities criminally liable.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Even<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> if you\u2019re able to define ecocide, how will you define the idea of jurisdiction?\u201d <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Experts have noted that most \u2018crimes\u2019 are transnational in nature: corporations have private or State-owned corporations in other countries (which are not members of the Rome Statute) that are responsible for polluting activities.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">For example, Coca-Cola was accused of poisoning land in South India with waste sludge and pushing thousands of farmers out of work by draining the water that fed their wells.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>What has been India\u2019s stance?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Some Indian judgments have affirmed the legal personhood of nature by recognising rivers as legal entities with the right to maintain their spirit, identity, and integrity.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Chandra CFS and Terminal Operators Pvt. Ltd. v. The Commissioner of Customs and Ors (2015), <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">the Madras High Court noted: \u201cthe prohibitory activities of ecocide has been continuing unbridledly by certain sections of people by removing the valuable and precious timbers\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In an ongoing case, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union Of India &#038; Ors,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> the Supreme Court called attention to an <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>\u201canthropogenic bias\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> and argued that \u201cenvironmental justice could be achieved only if we drift away from the principle of anthropocentric to ecocentric\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">India\u2019s legislative framework vis-\u00e0-vis environmental and ecological governance includes the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Environmental (Protection) Act 1986, the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, and the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act (CAMPA) 2016,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> as well as separate Rules to prevent air and water pollution.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Notably, the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>National Green Tribunal<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, India\u2019s apex environmental statutory body, does not have the jurisdiction to hear matters related to the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, the Indian Forest Act 1927, and other State-enacted laws.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Indian laws are themselves in a state of conflict: the Parliament passed the controversial <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill 2023 and Biodiversity (Amendment) Bill 2023<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, which experts have said will <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>dilute current legal protections and will lead to the loss of 20-25% of forest area<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> in the country and the attendant biodiversity and ecosystem issues.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Way Ahead<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">One critical challenge that needs to be addressed is to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>tackle problems of liability and compensation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> \u2013 a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>\u201cfriction between committing to environmental protection and actual action.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">For example, survivors of the Bhopal gas disaster are still fighting for compensation. The disaster\u2019s had an intergenerational impact on health and widespread contamination of soil and groundwater.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Implementation is the key:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> Several independent investigations have also alleged that funds earmarked for CAMPA have been misused and\/or diverted for other purposes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Even before ecocide laws come up internationally, India needs to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>first bring its environmental laws in tune with the idea of ecocide.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/50727\/OPS\/GC4BNB7SA.1+GCKBNBD96.1.html\" style=\"text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><strong><u>TH<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:20pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><u>Facts In News<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<h2 style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:16pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><u>Centre signs MoU with Adobe to help children learn AI<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Syllabus: GS 2\/Governance<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The Union Ministry of Education signed an agreement with global software major Adobe to help children develop creative expression in classrooms using the application Adobe Express.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>About MoU\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Training and certification<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> in creativity and digital literacy will be provided to about <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>20 million students<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>5,00,000 teachers<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> by 2027 using Adobe Express-based curriculum.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Under the programme, Adobe will provide schools across the country with free access to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Adobe Express Premium <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">and the professional development of educators.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Curriculum, training and certification based on Adobe Express tools and capabilities will be rolled out to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>empower students and educators<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> with topics covering creativity, generative AI, design, animation, video and other emerging technologies.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u00a0Students and teachers will be able to use Express, which according to Adobe, is an easy content creation application with generative AI capabilities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Significance\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In the time of digitisation, new ideas, new innovation and creativity, the partnership will create a new standard and benchmark for students.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Source:<\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/centre-signs-mou-with-adobe-to-help-children-learn-ai\/article67274150.ece#:~:text=Union%20Ministry%20of%20Education%20signed,using%20the%20application%20Adobe%20Express.\" style=\"text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:16pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><u>National Teachers\u2019 Award<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/ Education<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Context<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The President of India has conferred the National Teachers\u2019 Award to 75 teachers on the occasion of Teachers\u2019 Day.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>National Teachers\u2019 Award<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The purpose of the National Teachers\u2019 Award is to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>celebrate the unique contribution of teachers in the country<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> and to honor those teachers who, through their commitment and dedication, have not only improved the quality of education but also enriched the lives of their students.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Each award carries a certificate of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>merit, a cash award of Rs. 50,000 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">and a silver medal.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Why is Teacher&#8217;s day celebrated in India?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It is celebrated on <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>5th September <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">every year to commemorate the birthday of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, who was born on this day in 1888.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">India celebrated its <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>50th National Teacher\u2019s Day.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>About Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Literary Works:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Radhakrishnan&#8217;s philosophy was grounded in <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Advaita Vedanta.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">He also authored the book<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> \u2018The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore\u2019 in 1917.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">His <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>other works<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> include Indian Philosophy, (1923-27), The Philosophy of the Upanishads (1924), An Idealist View of Life (1932), Eastern Religions and Western Thought (1939), and East and West: Some Reflections (1955).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Awards and Honours:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">He was awarded the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Bharat Ratna<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, India\u2019s highest civilian award, in 1954.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">He received a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>knighthood in 1931 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">and honorary membership of the British Royal Order of Merit in 1963.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">He was elected <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>chairman of UNESCO\u2019s executive board<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> in 1948.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Contributions to the Society:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">He was one of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>founders of Helpage India<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, a renowned NGO for elderly underprivileged in India.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">He was the first Indian to hold a chair at the University of Oxford \u2013 the Spalding Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics (1936-1952).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">He defended Hinduism against <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>\u201cuninformed Western criticism\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> and played a major role in the formation of contemporary Hindu identity.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1954994#\" style=\"text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><strong><u>PIB<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:16pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><u>One-hour trade settlement<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Economy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), is planning to implement one-hour settlement of trades from the existing T+1 settlement.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>What is trade settlement?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Settlement<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> is a two-way process that involves the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> transfer of funds and securities<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> on the settlement date. As of now, there is a lag between trade and settlement \u2014 the settlement date is different from the trade date.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>A trade settlement<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> is said to be complete once purchased securities of a listed company are delivered to the buyer, and the seller gets the money.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>T+1 settlement<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>The current cycle of \u2018T+1\u2019 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">in India means trade-related settlements happen within a day, or within 24 hours of the actual transaction. The migration to the T+1 cycle came into effect in January 2023.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>India became the second country<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> to start the T+1 settlement cycle in top listed securities after China, bringing operational efficiency, faster fund remittances, share delivery, and ease for stock market participants.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>One-hour trade settlement<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In a one-hour settlement, if an investor sells a share, the money will be credited to their account in an hour, and the buyer will get the shares in their demat account within an hour.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Benefit:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The move is expected to increase volume in the cash segment as one would be able to move from one stock to another on the same date instead of waiting for settlement of one&#8217;s trade after one day or two days.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/everyday-explainers\/sebi-one-hour-trade-settlement-8926148\/\" style=\"text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong><u>IE<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:20pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><u>Global Consensus on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Syllabus:GS3\/ Economy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong><u>News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">G20 Digital Economy Ministers reached a consensus on how to effectively shape digital public infrastructure (DPI) of the future.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong><u>About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">In the meeting the Global Consensus was achieved on<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> Digital Public Infrastructures definition, framework, and principles.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Description of DPI<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">: It has been adopted as a set of shared digital systems that should be secure and interoperable, that can be built on open standards and promote access to services for all, with governance and community as core components of DPI.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The consensus between nations focused broadly in three key areas \u2013<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> Digital\u00a0 Public Infrastructure, Cybersecurity and Digital Skills.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong><u>Key outcomes<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">India has entered into <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>eight Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> with countries such as<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> Armenia, Sierra Leone, Suriname, Antigua, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Papua New Guinea, and Mauritius,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> offering them the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>India Stack<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> and DPI at no cost and with open-source access.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">These nations now have the opportunity to adopt and utilize these resources within their borders, further developing their unique innovation ecosystems.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The G20 India Presidency in partnership with UNDP launched<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> two knowledge products<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> on DPI to help countries advance their digital transformation journey;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>The DPI SDG Compendium<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> which presents a global snapshot of the potential and impact of DPI across all 17 SDGs, and\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>The DPI Playbook<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> which provides practical resources on how countries can go about building their inclusive and rights-based DPI.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse; border:none; table-layout:fixed; width:624px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #000000; border-left:1px solid #000000; border-right:1px solid #000000; border-top:1px solid #000000; vertical-align:top\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong><u>\u2018One Future Alliance\u2019 (OFA)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">It is a voluntary initiative proposed by the G20 India Presidency with support from <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>UNDP <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">and its knowledge partners.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">It aims to bring together governments, the private sector, academic and research institutions, donor agencies, civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders and existing mechanisms to synergize global efforts in the DPI ecosystem.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#333333\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Source:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1954830\" style=\"text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><u>PIB<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><\/body><\/html><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Laws governing forests of the Northeast Syllabus :GS 2\/Governance\/GS 3\/Environment\u00a0 In News The Mizoram Assembly unanimously passed a resolution opposing the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023, \u201cto protect the rights and interest of the people of Mizoram\u201d.\u00a0 The Nagaland Assembly will also face strident demands to pass a resolution against the Amendment.\u00a0 Forest (Conservation) Amendment [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16114,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[76],"class_list":["post-16724","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-gs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3012275images.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16724","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16724"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16724\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16724"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16724"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16724"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}