(Current Affairs) National Events | April: 2015

National Events

Coastal security is a challenge says R.K. Dhowan

  • The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R.K. Dhowan, said that “coastal security is a big challenge” and patrolling has been stepped in coastal areas in the past few months.

  • “In the last few months, we are on high state of alert and have deployed Navy units, ships, aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles in the coastal areas,” he said.

  • Speaking on the sidelines of the second Admiral R.L. Pereira Memorial Lecture function, Admiral Dhowan said dealing with non-state actors was always a difficult situation.

  • Asked about the boat allegedly carrying explosives for a possible terror attack near the Gujarat coast recently, he said: “Coastal security is a big challenge and we have a huge coastline of 7,516 km and extensive economic zone of over two million sq km.

  • There are nearly 5,000 merchant ships operating and over 2.4 lakh fishing boats in the area.” To maintain surveillance, the Navy had put in place the National Command and Control Communication System and Intelligence System, Admiral Dhowan said.

  • “Threat perception in the Indian Ocean region is wide and varied. There is threat of asymmetric warfare and other maritime threats that could emanate from the region for the country. India is fully concerned and is ready to defend its seas,” he said.

NFIR opposes FDI in Railways

  • The National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR) has vehemently opposed the Centre’s proposal for FDI in Railways and threatened to go on indefinite strike in June this year.

  • According to NFIR General Secretary M. Raghaviah, there is no need for FDI in Railways. “Government’s move to slowly hand over the Railways to foreign hands is like the entry of East India Company, which ruled the country later,” he said.

  • NFIR has offered the Railway Ministry to take loan from the Provident Fund of the Railway employees and repay them in due course for funding certain viable projects.

  • “NFIR is strongly against FDI in Railways and will oppose it tooth and nail,” Mr. Raghaviah told reporters on the sidelines of Zonal Conference of its affiliated unit Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh (CRMS).

  • He said if the government wants to raise money for certain new projects, it would be appropriate on their part to decide the priority and viability of the project and utilise the PF to certain extent.

  • Mr. Raghaviah further said that a small amount can be taken from their salaries as loan for similar purpose. NFIR had discussed the issue of their opposition of FDI with Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and had apprised him of the lurking danger in FDI, he said.

  • NFIR, which represents a majority union, has accused the government of ignoring safety aspects in the Railways, and not filling vacant posts in the operating and allied departments.

  • Listing measures to augment revenue of the Railways, Mr. Raghaviah said passenger fare should be hiked and more facilities should be provided to them.

  • People are willing to pay extra provided you extend good facilities including catering, he said. Railways should discontinue paying Rs. 9,000 crore dividend to the Government, he said and questioned the facility of senior citizen concession.

World Ramayana Conference in Bengaluru

  • The Ramayana Research Foundation in Bengaluru has organised a three-day World Ramayana conference from January 23 to 25 at the National College Grounds.
  • Fifty scholars from across India will present papers on varied subjects. Sanskrit scholar Satya Vrat Shastri, politician Subramanian Swamy, scholar Bannanje Govindacharya and Mani Dravid will participate in a national debate on January 24.
  • ‘Valmiki Sanman’ will be conferred on Sanskrit scholars Satya Vrat Shastri and K.S. Narayanacharya on January 25. Shobana will present dance ballets on January 23, and Nirupama Rajendra will do so on January 25.

NGOs oppose panel report on environmental laws

  • Environmental NGOs voiced opposition to the report of the high-level committee (HLC) on environmental laws during a hearing of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests.

  • The Standing Committee earlier invited responses on the HLC after it was submitted last year and seemed determined to hear as many representations as it could on the report. Committee chairperson Ashwani Kumar said there was a lot of disquiet in the media over the report and one criticism was that it was done in a hurry.

  • A number of NGOs made representations before the Committee. The representatives included the former Environment Secretary Dr. Prodipto Ghosh, Sunita Narain from the Centre for Science and Environment; Belinda Wright from the Wildlife Protection Society of India; Dr. K. Ullas Karanth, Centre for Wildlife Studies; Dr. Asad Rahmani, Bombay Natural History Society; and Ritwick Dutta, Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment.

  • While the report of the HLC chaired by former Cabinet Secretary T.S.R. Subramanian was not tabled in Parliament, Mr. Kumar said there were a number of requests for hearing opinions on the report and there was a feeling that it would weaken environmental laws.

  • He declined to express his own view on the report and clarified that he didn’t think a review of the report was outside the scope of the Standing Committee.

  • He said this issue was very much in the public domain and the report had gone to the government and there were apprehensions about some of the recommendations.

  • The Standing Committee discussed various issues of national importance and since there was so much disquiet among environmentalists, it was only fair that MPs were apprised of the report, he said.

  • However, he said there was no time frame to come up with a review after hearing all the stakeholders concerned and since the environmental laws had to be considered, it could not be done in haste.

  • Union Minister of State for Environment Prakash Javadekar had said amendments to environmental laws would be brought about in the budget session based on the recommendations of the HLC.

Where is the need for law on defacement of properties: Delhi High Court

  • The Delhi High Court has posed a question to the government authorities on the need for a legislation on defacement of properties in the Capital when a policy on outdoor advertisements was already in existence.
  • The question pertained to the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property (DPDP) Act adopted in 2009. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice R.S. Endlaw asked the Delhi Government earlier this week to clarify its stand on the issue by January 12.
  • The Court was hearing a writ petition moved by the Aam Aadmi Party and a city resident, Anil Bhatia, challenging the action for removal of posters from the houses of people.
  • The petitioners said the move amounted to denial of right to freedom of speech of the citizens who had willingly put up the posters on their property.
  • The petition contended that the DPDP Act should not be invoked when the posters or banners were put up on the houses and other buildings with the consent of their owners.
  • The petition was filed after the Delhi Police removed posters from private properties of AAP supporters and threatened them with action under the Act.

U.S Secretary calls for greater Indo-US economic ties

  • U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pushed for expansion of India-US commercial ties and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to the area of wind energy.
  • “The world’s oldest democracy and the largest democracy can help to forge an era of shared prosperity and security. Trade between India and the U.S. has increased five-fold since 2001.
  • We can do more together. I want our economic relationship to grow stronger in every aspect. We must do more together and we must do it faster. We share PM Modi’s goal of increasing our country’s annual trade fivefold.
  • We want to expand our commercial ties with India and our bilateral trade to increase five-fold,” Mr. Kerry said in his address at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2015. He expressed awe at the “entrepreneurial passion” he saw in the entrepreneurs of Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore on his several visits to India.
  • “Our founding documents begin with the exact same words ‘We the people’ and our innovators and entrepreneurs are constantly pushing the curve of discovery,” he said.
  • In the wake of the huge numbers of people in extreme poverty, Mr. Kerry pointed to “endless possibilities” in terms of setting up schools, hospitals, roads, energy grid and developing tourism.
  • However, the threat of climate change was “an enormous cloud” hanging over the world. “Global climate change is violently affecting communities and disrupting commerce, development and economic growth around the world.
  • It is costing farmers crops. It is costing insurance companies unbelievable payouts. If we continue down the current trendline, we will see climate refugees fighting for food and water.”
  • In the light of this situation, Mr. Kerry expressed hope that the Indo-US could ensure sustainable development and opportunities for economic growth and prosperity.

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