Luxembourg became the worlds first country to offer entirely free public transport
Context :
Luxembourg has become the first government to have made free public transport free. The move came with effect from 1 March. As per the move, buses, trams, and trains in the country became completely free of charge.
Aim :
The move aims to encourage Luxembourg’s inhabitants to use it and curb the continued traffic problems the country is experiencing.
Highlights :
- The country aims to achieve its vision of free mobility. The move focuses on alleviating constant traffic issues and finding a more suitable model for sustainability.
- Luxembourg aimed to transform into a mobility laboratory and to start making the people move around with public transport.
- The estimated cost of the project is around $46 million.
- The government has assured no layoffs and public transport staff members who are left without roles will be transferred to new positions.
India Pharma & India Medical Device 2020 Conference
Context :
The Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry( FICCI) is organising India Pharma 2020 & India Medical Device 2020 Conference & Exhibition .
Key Points :
- Theme- “India Pharma: Meeting Challenges of Affordable and Quality Healthcare and India Medical Device: Promoting Affordable responsible and Quality Medical Device for Universal Health Care”
- Objectives
- To encourage innovations to further reduce the cost of quality healthcare for all and a platform to the global investment community to connect with stakeholders in the Medical Device Sector in India.
- To promote consumer centric manufacturing by involving Medical Electronics, Devices, Health Diagnostics, Hospitals and Surgical Equipment etc.
Indian Pharma Industry :
- The Indian pharmaceutical market is the third largest in terms of volume and thirteenth largest in terms of value.
- India is the largest supplier of generic medicines globally.
- From 2018-19, India’s pharmaceutical exports were worth USD 19.13 billion with a growth of 10.72% over USD17.28 billion in pharma exports the previous year..
- The cost of manufacturing in India is approximately 33% lower than that of the US.
- India is also the largest vaccine producer in the world.
- Bio-Pharma is the largest sector contributing to 62% of the total revenue.
National Interlinking of Rivers Authority (NIRA)
Context :
The Central government is working on the establishment of an exclusive body to implement projects for linking rivers- To be called the National Interlinking of Rivers Authority (NIRA).
Functions of NIRA :
- It is expected to take up both inter-State and intra-State projects.
- It will also make arrangements for generating funds, internally and externally.
About National River Linking Project (NRLP) :
The NRLP formally known as the National Perspective Plan, envisages the transfer of water from water ‘surplus’ basins where there is flooding to water ‘deficit’ basins where there is drought/scarcity, through inter-basin water transfer projects.
Significance : It is designed to ease water shortages in western and southern India while mitigating the impacts of recurrent floods in the eastern parts of the Ganga basin.
ILR Projects in India :
As of now, six ILR projects — the Ken-Betwa, Damanganga- Pinjal, Par-Tapi-Narmada, Manas-Sankosh-Teesta-Ganga, Mahanadi-Godavari and Godavari-Cauvery (Grand Anicut) — have been under examination of the authorities.
With regard to the peninsular rivers, the Centre has chosen to focus on the Godavari-Cauvery link than the earlier proposal to link the Mahanadi-Godavari-Krishna-Pennar-Cauvery rivers.
Issues and Concerns :
Interlinking of rivers is a very expensive proposal. It will adversely affect land, forests, biodiversity, rivers and the livelihood of millions of people.
- Interlinking of rivers will lead to destruction of forests, wetlands and local water bodies, which are major groundwater recharge mechanisms.
- It causes massive displacement of people. Huge burden on the government to deal with the issue of rehabilitation of displaced people.
- Due to interlinking of rivers, there will be decrease in the amount of fresh water entering seas and this will cause a serious threat to the marine life.
Increased Recycling of E-waste in India
Context :
Recently, the government has informed that E-waste recycling has doubled in the country compared to 2017-18.
The government has reported that the recycling rate of 10% in 2017-18 has risen to 20% in 2018-19.
Key Points :
- Production of E-waste in India:
- According to the Global E-Waste Monitor 2017, India generates about 2 million tonnes (MT) of E-waste annually.
- India ranks fifth among E-waste producing countries, after the US, China, Japan and Germany.
- But the government has stated that the E-waste produced in India is lower than estimates by international agencies.
- Management of E-waste:
- Producers:
- The government has implemented the E-waste (Management) Rules (2016) which enforces the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
- Under EPR principle the producers have been made responsible to collect a certain percentage of E-waste generated from their goods once they have reached their “end-of-life”.
- State Governments:
- They have been entrusted with the responsibility for maintaining industrial space for e-waste dismantling and recycling facilities.
- They are also expected to establish measures for protecting the health and safety of workers engaged in the dismantling and recycling facilities for e-waste.
- Producers:
- Recycling of E-waste:
- Most of India’s e-waste is recycled by the informal sector and under hazardous conditions.
- A report by the Union Environment Ministry in 2018 found that many of India’s e-waste recyclers didn’t have the capacity to handle a large quantity of waste.
- India’s first e-waste clinic for segregating, processing and disposal of waste from household and commercial units will soon be set-up in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
Sukhna Lake is a living entity
Context :
The Punjab and Haryana high court has declared Sukhna Lake a “living entity” or “legal person” with rights, duties and liabilities of a living person.
It also declared all citizens of Chandigarh as loco parentis (in the place of a parent) to save the lake from extinction.
Background :
The order was passed in a 2009 suo motu petition initiated amid depleting water level in the lake.
What the order says :
- Sukhna Lake will now be a legal entity for its survival, preservation and conservation.
- The Chandigarh administration has been directed to declare it a wetland within a period of three months.
- All structures in Sukhna’s catchment area (which was demarcated by the Survey of India in 2004) should be demolished, and affected owners whose building plans have been approved should be relocated in the vicinity of Chandigarh and they should be compensated with ₹25 lakh each.
- Chandigarh should ensure that the average capacity of the lake is increased by at least about 100-150 hectare by one-time large scale desilting.
- Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh have also been told to lower the storage capacity of the check dams to ensure regular flow of water into the lake.
- Chandigarh will have to ensure that there is no seepage losses.
- The aquatic weeds are ordered to be removed within a period of six months.
Polluter pays principle :
Invoking the ‘polluter pays’ principle of environmental law, the Court said in its order: “The States should have taken precautionary measures to save the catchment of Sukhna lake. It is the duty of the States of Punjab and Haryana to restore the catchment area. The State government has also failed to take precautionary measures to save the catchment area. The damage caused to the catchment area is enormous.”
What is legal entity :
A legal entity means entity which acts like a natural person but only through a designated person, whose acts are processed within the ambit of law.
About Sukhna lake :
The man-made Sukhna Lake was built in 1958 by Le Corbusier, the architect of Chandigarh. Located in the foothills of the Shivalik Hills, it was designed to collect runoff water from the Hills. The Lake, which is in the process of being officially notified as a wetland, also has a nearby wildlife sanctuary that is home to sambar, pangolin, wild boars, red jungle fowl, cobras and other species.