Daily Current Affairs 17 March 2020 | UPSC Currrent Affairs 2020

Current Affairs Of Today Are

1) Sanskrit Universities Bill, 2020

The Central Sanskrit Universities Bill, 2020 has been passed by the Parliament after it was passed by Rajya Sabha on 16 Mar 2020. The Lok Sabha had already passed the Bill on 12th December 2019. Speaking after the passing of the Bill, Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ thanked the Members of the House for their support in passing the Bill. This bill will convert (i) Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi, (ii) Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi, and (iii) Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Tirupati into Central Sanskrit Universities.

About the bill

The Central Sanskrit Universities Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Human Resource Development, Mr. Ramesh Pokhriyal, on December 11, 2019. Presently, there are three deemed-to-be Sanskrit universities: (i) Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi, (ii) Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi, and (iii) Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Tirupati. The Bill seeks to convert these into Central Sanskrit Universities.
Establishment of the Universities: The Bill seeks to convert the three Deemed-to-be universities into Central Universities. The Universities will: (i) disseminate and advance knowledge for the promotion of Sanskrit, (ii) make special provisions for integrated courses in humanities, social sciences, and science, and (iii) train manpower for the overall development and preservation of Sanskrit and allied subjects.
Functions of the University: Key powers and functions of the University include: (i) prescribing courses of study and conducting training programs, (ii) granting degrees, diplomas, and certificates, (iii) providing facilities through a distance education system, (iv) conferring autonomous status on a college or an institution, and (v) provide instructions for education in Sanskrit and allied subjects.
Authorities: Each University will have the following authorities: (i) a court, which will review the policies of the University and suggest measures for its development, (ii) an Executive Council, which will be the principal executive body, (iii) an Academic and Activity Council, which will supervise academic policies, (iv) a Board of Studies, which will approve the subjects for research and recommend measures to improve standards of teaching, (v) a Finance Committee, which will examine proposals related to the creation of posts and recommend limits on the expenditure of the University, and (vi) a Planning and Monitoring Board, which will be responsible for the overall planning and development of the University. The Executive Council may declare additional authorities through the statutes.
Executive Council: The Executive Council will be responsible for all the administrative affairs of the University. The Council will consist of 15 members. These include: (i) the Vice-Chancellor (appointed by the Centre), (ii) the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development, and (iii) two eminent academics from the field of Sanskrit or allied subjects. The Vice-Chancellor shall be the chairperson of the Council.
Key functions of the Council include: (i) creating teaching and academic posts and their appointment, (ii) managing the revenue and property of the University, (iii) managing and regulating the finances of the University, and (iv) partnering with industry and non-government agencies to advance knowledge.
The visitor of the university: The President of India will be the Visitor of the University. He may appoint persons to review and inspect the functioning of the University. The Executive Council may take action based on the findings of the inspection. If no action is taken within a reasonable period, the Visitor may issue binding directions to the Council. Also, the Visitor may annul any proceeding of the University which does not conform with the Bill.
Statutes: The Schedule to the Bill contains statutes. These statutes specify the establishment, composition, and powers of various authorities such as the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, and Dean of Schools. The Executive Council may add, amend or repeal statutes. Any such action will require the approval of the Visitor.
Dispute and appeals: Any student or candidate whose name has been removed from the rolls of the University and who has been barred from appearing for examinations may appeal to the Executive Council for review of the decision. Any dispute arising out the disciplinary action taken by the University against a student may be referred to a Tribunal of Arbitration at the request of the student. Disputes arising out of the contract between an employee and the University may also be referred to the Tribunal. The Tribunal will consist of: (i) one member appointed by the Executive Council, (ii) one member nominated by the employee or student concerned, and (iii) an umpire appointed by the Visitor.

Source: PIB and PRS

2) India has 38 World Heritage Sites at present

At present, India has 38 World Heritage Sites. The world heritage sites are well conserved and in good shape. The details of World Heritage Sites are as below:-

CULTURAL SITES:

Under Protection of Archaeological Survey of India (22)

Agra Fort (1983), Uttar Pradesh
Ajanta Caves (1983) Maharashtra
Ellora Caves (1983) Maharashtra
Taj Mahal (1983) Uttar Pradesh
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984) Tamil Nadu
Sun Temple, Konarak (1984) Odisha
Churches and Convents of Goa (1986) Goa
Fatehpur Sikri (1986) Uttar Pradesh
Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986) Karnataka
Khajuraho, Group of Temples (1986) Madhya Pradesh
Elephanta Caves ( 1987) Maharashtra
Great Living Chola Temples at Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram, and Darasuram (1987 & 2004) Tamil Nadu
Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (1987) Karnataka
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989) Madhya Pradesh
Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi (1993) Delhi
Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (1993) Delhi
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003) Madhya Pradesh
Champaner-Pavagarh Archaeological Park (2004) Gujarat
Red Fort Complex, Delhi (2007) Delhi
Hill Forts of Rajasthan (Chittaurgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Jaisalmer and Ranthambhore, Amber and Gagron Forts) (2013) (Amber and Gagron Forts are under the protection of Rajasthan State Archaeology and Museums) Rajasthan
Rani-ki-Vav (The Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan (2014) Gujarat
Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) at Nalanda (2016) Bihar

Under Protection of Ministry of Railways (2)

Mountain Railways of India ( Darjeeling,1999), Nilgiri (2005), Kalka-Shimla(2008) West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004) Maharashtra

Under Protection of Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (1)

Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya, (2002) Bihar

Under Protection of Rajasthan State Archaeology and Museums (1)

The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (2010) Rajasthan

Under Protection of Chandigarh Administration (1)

The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (2016) Chandigarh

Under Protection of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (1)

Historic City of Ahmedabad (2017) Gujarat

Under Protection of Bombay Municipal Corporation (1)

Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai (2018) Govt of Maharashtra

Under Protection of Jaipur Municipal Corporation (1)

Jaipur City, Rajasthan (2019) Govt of Rajasthan

Under Protection of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Changes

Kaziranga National Park (1985) Assam
Keoladeo National Park (1985) Rajasthan
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (1985) Assam
Sunderbans National Park (1987) West Bengal
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988, 2005) Uttarakhand
Western Ghats (2012) Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu
Great Himalayan National Park (2014) Himachal Pradesh

Under Protection of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Changes

Khangchendzonga National Park (2016) Sikkim

Source: PIB

3) SAARC emergency fund

First videoconference of the heads of member countries of SAARC to discuss a common strategy to tackle COVID-19.

Details:

Given the seriousness of the challenge posed by COVID-19 to the world and the uncertainty surrounding it, countries must work together to devise a common strategy and go ahead with a coordinated effort.
Agreeing with the suggestion of the Indian PM, leaders of the SAARC region held the first-ever videoconference of the heads to discuss a common strategy to tackle COVID-19.
The videoconference was also addressed by Bangladesh Prime Minister, Bhutan Prime Minister, Nepal Prime Minister, Maldives President, Sri Lankan President, Afghan President, and Special Assistant on Health to Pakistan’s Prime Minister.
The regional leaders explained how they had taken measures to stop the spread of the virus.

Background:

Set up in 1985, SAARC is the first such inter-country grouping for the South Asian region.
SAARC has had no summit-level meeting since 2014. The meetings have been called off due to India-Pakistan tensions and India’s decision to not attend the summit in Islamabad on grounds of Pakistan’s continued support to cross-border terrorism.
India had shifted focus to other regional groupings that do not include Pakistan to ensure co-operation among the neighbor.
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) grouping, and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) have received increased attention from India.

COVID-19 Emergency Fund:

The Indian Prime Minister has called on the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to create a COVID19 Emergency Fund, based on voluntary contribution, to fight the threat of COVID-19.
India has extended $10 million as its contribution to the proposed fund.

SAARC agency:

Given the past precedent and the current crisis, the Bangladeshi PM pitched for an institution in the form of a SAARC agency to fight contagious diseases that pose a threat to public health in the region.
Impact on economies:
Addressing the impact of the pandemic on the region’s economy, Maldives President said the economy of the Maldives would be affected as the tourist flow from Italy, China and Europe had dried up.
Bhutan Prime Minister also highlighted the economic impact that the virus would have on the economies of South Asia and urged SAARC to help the member countries.

Taskforce:

Afghan President highlighted the vulnerability of Afghanistan as it shares a long border with Iran, one of the worst-affected countries and suggested that the SAARC countries create a task force and a framework of telemedicine to deal with the threat.
Afghanistan urged India to provide satellite links for distance education.

Significance:

The inter-regional co-operation could help set an example to the world, and contribute to a healthier planet by coming up with a unified strategy to fight the virus in the region.
The COVID-19 situation seems to have lent an opportunity to mend differences within SAARC. The new initiative may well lead to a revival of the SAARC forum itself.

Additional information:

The South Asia Satellite (designated GSAT-9), formerly known as SAARC Satellite, is a geostationary communication and meteorology satellite operated by ISRO for the SAARC region.
The satellite was mooted by India as part of its neighborhood's first policy.
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka are the users of the multi-dimensional facilities provided by the satellite.

Source: The Hindu

4) SC approves Kerala slotting projects in the orange category

Supreme Court’s observations regarding Kerala state slotting based on Environment (Protection) Rules.

BACKGROUND:

CPCB slotting of industries:

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had slotted industrial activities into the red, orange, green and white categories, based on the pollution index, in March 2016. This was meant to implement more effective measures to control pollution based on the severity of pollution by the industries.

The criteria of categorization of industrial sectors are based on the Pollution Index which is a function of the emissions (air pollutants), effluents (water pollutants), hazardous wastes generated and consumption of resources.
The Pollution Index (PI) of any industrial sector is a number from 0 to 100 and the increasing value of PI denotes the increasing degree of pollution load from the industrial sector.
The following are the criteria on the ‘Range of Pollution Index’ for the categorization of industrial sectors.

Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 60 and above – Red category
Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 41 to 59 – Orange category
Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 21 to 40 – Green category
Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score up to 20 – White category

There shall be no necessity of obtaining the Consent to Operate for the White category of industries. The red category of industries shall not be normally permitted in the ecologically fragile area/protected area.

Kerala’s SPCB rules:

Based on the report of an expert committee and in line with the CPCB’s direction, in 2017, the Kerala State Pollution Control Board brought flats, apartments, and commercial buildings, spanning over 2,000 sq.m, but less than 20,000 sq.m, under the orange category.
This decision of the State Pollution Control Board was successfully challenged before the Appellate Authority which held that residential constructions did not fall in the category of industry.
The State Pollution Control Board had argued that it is authorized to use its power under the directions of the CPCB and the Environment (Protection) Rules, to impose such stringent conditions to prevent environmental degradation and pollution.
The State Pollution Control Board then appealed before the NGT, which set aside the Appellate Authority’s decision and held that these stringent conditions were required on account of high groundwater consumption and contamination of water bodies and the groundwater by such buildings.

Details:

The Supreme Court has upheld the views of the NGT and declined to entertain the appeal filed by the Kerala chapter of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) that the categorization was arbitrary.

Source: The Hindu

5) Samagra Shiksha’ Scheme

Samagra Shiksha - an Integrated Scheme for School Education has been launched throughout the country as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with effect from the year 2018-19. This program subsumes the three erstwhile Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE). It is an overarching program for the school education sector extending from pre-school to class XII and aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school education. It envisages the ‘school’ as a continuum from pre-school, primary, upper primary, secondary to senior secondary levels.
The major interventions under the scheme are: (i) Universal Access including Infrastructure Development and Retention; (ii) Gender and Equity; (iii) Inclusive Education; (iv) Quality; (v) Financial support for Teacher Salary; (vi) Digital initiatives; (vii) Entitlements under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 including uniforms, textbooks, etc.; (viii) Pre-school Education; (ix) Vocational Education; (x) Sports and Physical Education; (xi) Strengthening of Teacher Education and Training; and (xii) Monitoring of the scheme. Its main features, inter alia, are as follows:

Universalizing access to quality school education by the expansion of schooling facilities in the uncovered areas through up-gradation of schools up-to senior secondary level.
Ensuring the availability of adequate infrastructure to ensure that schools conform to the prescribed norms.
Annual Grant of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 20,000/- per school for the strengthening of
Libraries.
Composite school grant of Rs. 25,000-1 Lakh to be allocated based on school enrolment.
Annual Grant for sports equipment at the cost of Rs. 5000 for Primary Schools,
Rs. 10,000 for upper primary schools and up to Rs. 25,000 for secondary and
senior secondary schools.
Allocation for children with Special Needs (CwSN) of Rs. 3,500 per child per annum including a stipend of Rs. 200 per month for CWSN girls to be provided from Classes I to XII.
Allocation for uniforms at the rate of Rs. 600 per child per annum.
Allocation for textbooks at the rate of Rs. 250/400 per child per annum.
Upgradation of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) from Class 6-8 to
Class 6-12.
Strengthening Teacher Education Institutions like SCERTs and DIETs to improve the quality of teachers.
Enhanced use of digital technology in education through smart classrooms, digital boards, and DTH channels.
Support States & UTs for implementation of provisions of the RTE Act, including reimbursement under Section 12(1)(c) of the Act.
Setting up of residential schools and hostels for difficult areas and for children in difficult circumstances.

Besides this, approval has been given to States and UTs for setting up of Youth and Eco Club in Government Schools in 2019-20 under Samagra Shiksha. Youth clubs in schools are an instrument to develop life skills, build self-esteem, develop self-confidence and resilience. Eco clubs in schools aim to empower students to participate and take up meaningful environmental activities and projects.
Further, to experience and celebrate the rich cultural diversity of India and to encourage experimental learning, Rangotsav was organized in schools in 2018-19. Rangotsav is an initiative of the Ministry aimed to promote experiential learning. Some of the major activities undertaken under Rangotsav are Kala Utsav, Role Play Competition, Band Competition, Bhasha Sangam and Folk dance competition.

Source: PIB

6) Successful Trails in Treating Drug-Resistant TB

Recently, a small trial was undertaken to test the safety and efficacy of a few oral drugs against the extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).

The trial showed encouraging results with a success rate of 90%.
The favorable results held true regardless of the HIV status of the patients.

Key Points

The trial (Nix-TB) tested three oral drugs namely bedaquiline, pretomanid and linezolid in patients with XDR-TB and MDR-TB.
Success Rate

The 90% treatment success in the case of hard-to-treat patients is at par with the success rate seen while treating drug-sensitive TB.
Of the 109 patients treated, 11 had unfavorable outcomes.

Of the 11 patients, there were seven deaths and two had a relapse during the six-month follow-up period.

The treatment success rate was 89% for XDR-TB and 92% for MDR-TB.

The MDR-TB patients included in the trial were either not responsive to standard treatment or had discontinued treatment due to side effects.

Tuberculosis

It is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs.
Transmission: TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air.
Symptoms: Cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.
Treatment: TB is a treatable and curable disease. It is treated with a standard 6-month course of 4 antimicrobial drugs that are provided with information, supervision, and support to the patient by a health worker or trained volunteer.

Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis

It is a form of TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin, the 2 most powerful, first-line anti-TB drugs.
MDR-TB is treatable and curable by using second-line drugs.

Extensively drug-resistant Tuberculosis

It is a more serious form of MDR-TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to the most effective second-line anti-TB drugs, often leaving patients without any further treatment options.

Source: The Hindu

7) ROPAX Service

The Ministry of Shipping has launched a roll on-roll off cum passenger ferry service, called ‘ROPAX’, between Mumbai and Mandwa (Maharashtra).

ROPAX service is a water transport service project under Eastern Waterfront Development.
The road distance from Mumbai to Mandwa is about 110 kilometers, and it takes three to four hours, whereas by waterway the distance is about 18 kilometers and a journey of just an hour.
ROPAX Vessel M2M -1 was built in Greece in September 2019. This Vessel has a speed of 14 knots and can carry 200 cars and 1000 passengers at a time. It is capable of operating even in a monsoon season.

People will be able to travel in their cars directly on to the ROPAX vessel.

The benefits of this service include a reduction in travel time, vehicular emission and traffic on the road.

Eastern Waterfront Development

The Eastern Waterfront is the Mumbai Port Trust’s (MbPT’s) plan to develop the port lands across Mumbai’s eastern coast stretching from Sassoon Dock to Wadala.

MbPT is an Autonomous Body of the Government of India under the Ministry of Shipping.

Some of the major proposals under the project include a 93- hectare park near Haji Bunder, around 17 hectares for tourism-related projects such as themed streets and affordable housing.
The project also has a focus on water transport by making a provision for water taxis, international and domestic cruises, andro-pax (roll-on/roll-off passengers) services.

Source: PIB

8) Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)

It was formerly known as the Millennium Dam and sometimes referred to as Hidase Dam.
It is a gravity dam whose construction began in 2011 on the Blue Nile tributary in the northern Ethiopia highlands, from where 85% of the Nile’s waters flow.
When complete, the Grand Renaissance Dam, which Ethiopia is building, will be Africa’s biggest hydroelectric power plant.

Why is it so contentious?

At the center of the dispute are plans to fill up the mega-dam as Egypt fears the project will allow Ethiopia to control the flow of Africa’s longest river.
Hydroelectric power stations do not consume water, but the speed with which Ethiopia fills up the dam’s reservoir will affect the flow downstream.

Why is Egypt so upset?

Egypt relies on the Nile for 90% of its water. It has historically asserted that having a stable flow of the Nile waters is a matter of survival in a country where water is scarce.
Egypt also fears that the dam could restrict its already scarce supply of the Nile waters, which is almost the only water source for its citizens.
It could also affect transport on the Nile in Egypt if the water level is too low and affect the livelihood of farmers who depend on the water for irrigation.
A 1929 treaty (and a subsequent one in 1959) gave Egypt and Sudan rights to nearly all of the Nile waters.
The colonial-era document also gave Egypt veto powers over any projects by upstream countries that would affect its share of the waters.
Under the 1959 Nile Waters Agreement, the two downstream riparian states Egypt and Sudan, respectively, were allocated 55.5 billion cubic meters and 18.5 billion cubic meters of Nile water annually.
That settlement reduced Cairo’s control of the waters, compared to the virtual veto overutilization it was granted under the 1929 treaty.
Egypt accuses Ethiopia of not factoring in the risk of drought conditions such as those that affected the Nile Basin in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Ethiopia was outside the purview of the 1959 treaty, as also other upstream states including Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda.
Ethiopia has said it should not be bound by the decades-old treaty and went ahead and started building its dam at the start of the Arab Spring in March 2011 without consulting Egypt.

Why does Ethiopia want such a big dam?

The dam is at the heart of Ethiopia’s manufacturing and industrial dreams. When completed, it is expected to be able to generate a massive 6,000 megawatts of electricity.
Ethiopia has an acute shortage of electricity, with 65% of its population not connected to the grid.
The energy generated will be enough to have its citizens connected and sell the surplus power to neighboring countries.
Ethiopia also sees the dam as a matter of national sovereignty.
The dam project does not rely on external funding and relies on government bonds and private funds to pay for the project.
The country has been critical of what it considers foreign interference in the matter.

Does anyone else benefit?

Neighboring countries including Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Djibouti, and Eritrea are likely to benefit from the power generated by the dam.

Source: The Hindu

9) New Website of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

Recently, a new website of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy was launched.
The Ministry website hosts KUSUM Scheme Portal, Akshay Urja Portal, and India Renewable Idea Exchange (IRIX) Portal.

KUSUM Scheme

KUSUM stands for Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan. It’s objective is to provide financial and water security to farmers through harnessing solar energy capacities of 25,750 MW by 2022.
The scheme consists of three components:

Installation of ground-mounted grid-connected renewable power plants in rural areas.
Installation of standalone solar-powered agriculture pumps.
Solarisation of grid-connected agriculture pumps to make farmers independent of grid supply and also enable them to sell surplus solar power generated to DISCOM.

Benefits

A stable and continuous source of income to the rural landowners.
Availability of sufficient local solar/other renewable energy-based power for feeding rural load centers and agriculture pump-set loads.
Reducing transmission losses.
Save the expenditure incurred on diesel for running diesel pumps.
Substantial environmental impact in terms of savings of CO2 emissions.

India Renewable Idea Exchange (IRIX)

IRIX is a platform that promotes the exchange of ideas among energy-conscious Indians and the Global community.

Source: PIB

10) Iron Rain on Exoplanet

Wasp-76b, an exoplanet (a planet outside the solar system), probably have iron raining on it.

Key Points

Wasp-76b orbits so close to its host star that its dayside temperatures exceed 2,400 degrees Celsius - hot enough to vaporize metals like iron.
The planet's nightside, on the other hand, is 1,000 degrees cooler, allowing those metals to condense and rain out.

Wasp-76b

Wasp-76b is a huge gas planet that is twice the width of Jupiter. Its name comes from the UK-led Wasp telescope system that detected it in 2016.

The UK Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) is a collaborative project involving several UK universities. The primary aim is the discovery of exoplanets.

It is 640 light-years from the Earth and is so close to its star that it takes just 43 hours to complete one revolution.
Another of the planet's interesting features is that it always presents the same face to the star - a behavior scientists call being "tidally locked". Earth's Moon does exactly the same thing.

Tidal locking is the name given to the situation when an object’s orbital period matches its rotational period.
The moon takes 28 days to go around the Earth and 28 days to rotate once around its axis. This results in the same face of the Moon always facing the Earth.

11) A new law in U.P. to recover costs for damaging property

The State government of Uttar Pradesh has notified the Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damage to Public and Private Property Ordinance, 2020, promulgated by the Governor.

Details:

The ordinance is meant to arm the state with a stringent law to recover compensation from those who damage public and private property during protests and riots.

Claiming compensation:

The owner of any private property or the head of the office concerned in respect of public property may file claims for compensation within three months of any incident that causes any damage during public protests, bandhs or riots.
The claim can cite as respondents those who instigated or committed acts that caused the damage. The claim can be filed against those named by the police in the riots.
The claims would cover not only damage to public and private property but also the costs borne by the police and the administration in taking preventive measures.

Claim tribunals:

Claims for compensation will be decided by designated Claims Tribunals that will be authorized to investigate complaints and assess the damage.
The chairperson of the Claims Tribunal would be a retired district judge, while its members would be of the rank of additional commissioner.
The Claims Tribunal shall have all the powers of a civil court.
The Claims Tribunal would have the power to attach the property of the respondents and publicize their names, addresses, and photographs to warn the public against purchasing the property.
The order passed by the Claims Tribunal would be final and no appeal would be maintainable before other courts.

BACKGROUND

Banners had come up at a major roadside with personal details of those accused of vandalism during the anti-CAA protests.
The posters sought compensation from the accused persons and further, to confiscate their property if they failed to pay compensation.
The Allahabad High Court had suo motu, taken cognizance of the UP government’s move to put up roadside posters naming and shaming and giving photos and details of individuals accused of damaging public property during the anti-CAA protests in Lucknow.

Allahabad High Court Judgment

The High Court made two significant observations: there is no legal basis to allow such banners and they violate the fundamental right to privacy.
The court reprimanded the UP government for “undemocratic functioning”, for violating the individual’s fundamental right to privacy and the assurance of Article 21, that no person shall be deprived of life and personal liberty except by procedure established by law.
It directed the government to take down the posters “forthwith” and set a date for it to submit a compliance report to the court.
The UP government quickly moved the Supreme Court. The court took up the matter on an urgent basis.

Supreme Court

The SC repeatedly asked Uttar Pradesh what law gave it the power to publicly shame people.
It told the state that while an individual can commit any act that is not prohibited by law, a state can take only actions that are expressly sanctioned by law. This is a crucial aspect of the rule of law to protect the individual from the might of the state apparatus.
The Supreme Court observed that the UP government’s decision was missing the “backing of law”.
The Supreme Court bench then decided that there were larger questions of law involved in the case, so a larger bench would have to deal with it.

Issues with name and shame

It undermines the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by due process of law — a cardinal principle of criminal jurisprudence.
The anti-CAA protestors have already suffered irreparable damage to their reputations.
When the dignity of an individual is taken away, it can be worse than a physical blow.
It makes the protestors vulnerable to mob justice because a state-sanctioned hoarding carries a certain legitimacy.
Even if a court declares them guilty, the appropriate measure would be to convict them or impose a penalty according to law. The state cannot exercise its powers to punish in a manner not supported by law.

Conclusion

No democracy can afford to punish people without a due process of law.

Source: The Hindu

12) Tara Tarini Temple

The annual Chaitra Jatra festival scheduled to be held on 17th March 2020 at Odisha’s Tara Tarini hill shrine has been canceled as a precautionary measure against COVID-19 infection.

The festival is held on each Tuesday in the month of Chaitra, which falls in March-April as per the English calendar.

Key Points

Tara Tarini hill shrine, located at a hilltop on banks of the Rushikulya river, is a major center of Shakti worship in Odisha.
The twin goddesses Tara and Tarini represent one Shakti and are the main deity of the Ganjam district (Odisha).

Tara is an important deity of Mahayana Buddhist Sect.

This temple had been built as per the traditional Rekha style of Odia temple architecture, as per which famous Jagannath temple of Puri and Lingaraj Temple of Bhubaneswar have been built.
Unlike other temples, it wasn’t built under the patronage of a King or a Noble, the temple was set up by a Brahmin named Basu Praharaj as per popular legend.
Since its inception, it has been an established seat of Tantrism.
Indian Navy’s sailboat INSV Tarini was named after the Tara Tarini hill shrine. The first Indian all-woman crew had circumnavigated the globe in INSV Tarini.

Source: The Hindu