Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 29 April 2024 | Download PDF

• The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India is preparing to defend the government’s human rights processes at a meeting in Geneva.
• The meeting is crucial as a decision on whether the NHRC will retain its “A status” is expected to be made.

Key points:

• The decision on the NHRC’s rating would affect its ability to vote at the UN Human Rights Council and some UNGA bodies.
• The meeting of the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) of the UN-recognised Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) will be held on May 1.
• According to a six-point submission by the SCA in March 2023, the NHRC has failed to create conditions required to be “able to operate independent of government interference”.

Think:

• Know about NHRC.
• Know about Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI).

• Astronomers recently observed a rare event,  a “super-sympathetic” solar flare.
• This event featured four simultaneous eruptions.

About Solar flares:

• Solar flares are intense bursts of radiation that come from the release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots.
• The increased solar radiation from a solar flare can lead to geomagnetic storms, which may impact power grids and cause auroras (northern and southern lights) at lower latitudes.

About Sympathetic Solar Flare:

• Sympathetic solar flares occur when sunspots or filaments are invisibly linked by massive magnetic field loops that arch above the solar surface.

• The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Key points:

• The CTCN is the implementation arm of the UNFCCC’s Climate Change Technology Mechanism, which is mandated under the Paris Agreement.
• It is hosted by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
• The CTCN was established to speed up the development and transfer of environmentally sound technologies for low carbon and climate resilient development, as requested by developing countries.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released a master direction for Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs), effective from April 24, 2024.

About Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs):

• • Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) are specialized financial institutions that buy bad debts from banks and try to recover them.
  • ARCs are registered under the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and regulated under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest Act, 2002 (SARFAESI Act, 2002).
• ARCs perform various functions such as 

• • Acquiring financial assets, 
  • Changing or taking over management, 
  • Selling or leasing the business of the borrower, rescheduling debts, 
  • Enforcing security interest, and 
  • Settling dues payable by the borrower.

• Biohacking is gaining popularity in India.
• It is especially picking up in metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai.
• The trend is also gradually spreading to Tier II and III cities in the country.

About Biohacking:

• Biohacking is a term used to describe various methods aimed at enhancing the body’s ability to function at peak performance and potentially extend lifespan.
• It involves using techniques from fields such as biology, genetics, neuroscience, and nutrition.
• The goal of biohacking is to enhance physical or mental performance, improve overall health and well-being, or achieve a specific health outcome.

• Gram Sabhas in Odisha’s Koraput district are stepping in to help tribal communities procure Kendu leaf, a vital non-timber forest product (NTFP) used for rolling beedis. 

Key points:

• Limited Access: Currently, the Forest department’s Kendu leaf wing procures leaves, but its operations are limited to registered collectors and certain villages for a few days. They pay Rs 3.20 per bundle of 40 leaves.
• Gram Sabhas’ Initiative: To help tribal pluckers market and sell their stock, 103 gram sabhas in Boipariguda block are working together. They formed the Baipariguda Gram Sabha Maha Sangha, primarily comprising women collectors.
• Community Forest Rights: The gram sabhas have submitted claims under the Forest Rights Act of 2006, specifically section 3(1)(C), which grants them the authority to collect and market all NTFPs, including Kendu leaf. They can issue transit permits for transportation.
• Higher Payment: The gram sabhas are offering Rs 4 per bundle, higher than the Forest department’s rate, to encourage more tribal participation.
• Income Generation: The initiative aims to collect seven lakh bundles of Kendu leaf within two weeks, benefiting 4,000 poor tribals in the block. They also plan to process and package the leaves for marketing, forming partnerships with traders.

• Chairman of 5T and BJD leader VK Pandian visited Satyabhamapur in Cuttack district, the birthplace of Madhu Babu, and paid homage to the architect of modern Odisha.

About:

• Madhu Babu, also known as Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das, was a prominent figure in Odisha’s history and is widely regarded as the architect of modern Odisha. 
• Born on April 28, 1848, in Satyabhamapur, near Cuttack, Madhu Babu played a significant role in shaping the political, social, and economic development of the state.
• As a lawyer, Madhusudan Das fought for Odisha’s interests during British rule and was instrumental in establishing the Utkal Sammilani, an organization that played a vital role in the formation of a separate Odisha province in 1936. 
• He was also the first Odia to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree and worked tirelessly to enrich Odia literature.
• Madhu Babu’s contributions extended to the fields of education and literature. 
• He was a key figure in the recognition of Odia as a distinct language and worked towards developing a modern education system in the state. 
• As a mark of respect and recognition for his contributions to Odisha’s development, his birth anniversary is celebrated as “Madhusudan Das Day” or “Lawyers’ Day” on April 28 each year.
• Today, Madhu Babu is revered as an icon of Odia pride and continues to inspire generations in Odisha. 
• His birthplace, Satyabhamapur, has a museum and interpretation center dedicated to his life and work.

• Adani Group, GMR Group, and Fairfax India Holdings Corporation are interested in bidding for the development of Puri International Airport, which is set to be named Sri Jagannath International Airport.

Key points:

• Adani Group, known for operating airports in several cities, including Mumbai and Ahmedabad, is among the top bidders for the project. 
• The airport, to be constructed in three phases, is estimated to cost Rs 5,631 crore. The initial phase, costing Rs 2,203 crore, is being developed in a public-private partnership (PPP) mode by the Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco). 
• The airport will cover an area of 1,164 acres, including 68.81 acres of forest land and 221.48 acres of private land in Sipasarubali and Sandhapur areas under Brahmagiri tehsil. 
• The airport’s construction is expected to be completed within three years, with a capacity to handle 4.6 million passengers per annum (MPPA) in the first phase. 

• The NGT suggests a fine of Rs 96 crore for excessive mining in Odisha.
• A joint committee, formed by the NGT, has recommended collecting Rs 96.28 crore in environmental compensation from a private lessee.

Key points:

• The excess mining took place at Damanbhuin laterite stone quarry in Khurda district, under Tangi tehsil.
• The committee, comprising various officials, conducted a joint inspection and submitted a report to the NGT.
• The report, submitted on April 18, estimated excess mining of approximately 64,254 cubic meters by the lessee.

NGT:

• • The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is an environmentally focused body established under India’s National Green Tribunal Act in 2010. 
  • Its purpose is to efficiently handle cases involving environmental protection, forest conservation, and other natural resources. 
• India became the third country, following Australia and New Zealand, to institute a specialized environmental tribunal and the first developing nation to do so.

• The NGT is mandated to resolve applications or appeals within six months of their filing. 
• Its principal location is in New Delhi, with additional locations in Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata, and Chennai.

Structure:

• The NGT is structured with a Chairperson, Judicial Members, and Expert Members. They serve for three years or until reaching 65, whichever comes first, and cannot be reappointed. 
• The Central Government appoints the Chairperson in consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI). A Selection Committee appoints Judicial Members and Expert Members. There must be at least ten and up to twenty full-time Judicial and Expert Members.

• Odisha’s wheelchair fencers continued their impressive streak in international competitions, securing one silver and one bronze medal for India in the 2024 Wheelchair Fencing Asian Championships held in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
• Pabitra Sahu emerged as the star performer among the Odisha wheelchair fencers, capturing three international medals within a week. 
• The 22-year-old BJB Autonomous College student added the Asian silver to the two medals.

About:

• Wheelchair Fencing is an exciting, dynamic and fast paced sport. It is played by two athletes either as an individual event or as part of a team.
• Modified swords; foil, epee and sabre, are used to score points on specific areas on the body, depending on the weapon type.

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