Bureau of Indian Standards Act 2016 (BIS Act)

Transcription

1 Bureau of Indian Standards Act 2016 (BIS Act) Context: Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act has come into offer from October 12, ) Parliament had in March 2016 passed the law to replace the BIS Act of ) The Act provides for the establishment of a national standards body for the harmonious development of the activities of standardization conformity assessment and quality assurance of good article process system services. Features: The Act establishes a national body in the name of Bureau of Indian standard to implement the mandate Act. A governing council has been constituted for performing general superintendence direction and management of the Bureau with the minister in charge as the ex. of two President of the Bureau. Ministers of states as the ex officio vice-president of the Bureaus. Secretary to the government of India of the ministry having administrative control of the Bureau. The director general of the bureau, other persons representing the government or other relevant institution. The bureau has been empowered to notify conformity assessment schemes for any goods article, process, system or service which mean to demonstrate the requirements related to any article process system, service, person or body.

2 The director general of the bureau has been made the Chief Executive Authority of the bureau or implementing the mandate of the Act. No court lower than that of a metropolitan magistrate or judicial magistrate of the first class is empowered to take cognizance of any punishable under this act. The new law will further help ease of doing business in the country. Not only the provision of the Act will gave fill-up to Make in India campaign but also ensure availability of quality products and services to the consumers. India acts against Trawling: Context: Joint working group outlines indicatives in Palk Bay Area. India informed Srilanka that it has taken measures to stop bottom trawling by fisherman in the water near the Srilankan coast line. The recent initiatives taken by the government of India to end bottom trawling in the Palk Bay area include of a programme on diversification on bottom trawlers into deep sea fishing vessels for long lining under the Blue revolution scheme. Fresh registration for bottom trawlers in the Palk Bay area has been banned by their government of Tamilnadu.

3 India also informed that schemes promoting seaweed farming and sea cage farming have begun in the Palk Bay area to wean away fishermen from deep sea trawling. Earlier in July, Srilanka banned bottom trawling increasing the chance of interception of more Indian bottom trawlers, bottom trawling by Indian fishermen had emerged a major issue because of the disruptive impact it left on coastal communities of Srilanka. Srilanka s complaint against India fishermen for using bottom trawling which erodes aquatic resource in Palk Bay area. The global Impact of Bottom Trawling: Bottom Trawling: Bottom trawling is a wide spread industrial fishing practice that involves dragging heavy nets, large metal doors and chains over the sea floor to fish catch. Impacts: The direct impacts of bottom trawling on corals sponges fishes and other animals. The practice of bottom trawling has on lease sediment on the ocean floor. Bottom trawling can result in vastly different effects on different types of sea bed sediment (such as sand, silt or mud) each with different ecological consequences. Trawling destroys the natural sea floor habitat by essentially rototilling the sea bed.

4 All of the bottom dwelling plants and animals are affected. Nutrient level in the ambient water and entire chemistry of the water is changed. Reduce photosynthesis in ocean dwelling plants the bottom of the food web Bor Tiger Reserve Context: Tigers that killed 5, found electrocuted. Bor Wildlife Sanctuary: Bor tiger reserve is a wildlife sanctuary. Located near Hingani in Wardha district in the Indian states of Maharashtra. Bor wildlife sanctuary includes the drainage basic of the Bor Dam. Bor tiger reserves are merged with Pench tiger reserve in Maharashtra known as satellite core area. Flora: Main species like teak, acin, tendu and bamboo in Eco zone of the area of South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests. Main herbs like tarot, tenella, tarwar, gokhru, vanbendi, vealtri and waghori.

5 Fauna: Mammal species like Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, Indian bison, blue bull, chital, sambar deer, peacock, barking deer, molloe deer, monkey, wild boar, sloth bear and wild dog. Tigers: 24 tigers in the Pench and Bor land scape. Birds: There are 160 species of birds. 10 species of nugatory birds. A species of endangered birds and 46 million of 16 different orders. Reptiles: There are 26 species of reptiles. 11 are families and 6 species are endangered like Indian cobra, Russell wiper, Indian rock python, Indian snake, monitor lizards.

6 Context: DNA bar codes reveal adulteration in traditional medicines. Traditional (Ayurveda) medicines in the large unorganized market contain spurious plant extracts and heavy metals that came serous risks to health revealed by genetics based study in journal drug safety. Scientists from Bengaluru working in Canada this year called for a herbal trade authentication system to address concerns over wide spread adulteration. In 2008, while attempt to trace genetic history of leaf flower team from Ashoka trust for research in ecology and environment (ATREE) was surprised to see plants used in abundance in herbal medicines despite its rarity. So, taking samples from 12 whole sale markets across South India (Bengaluru, Kollam, Madurai etc.) their DNA analysis showed that nearly 25% of samples not used treat hepatitis. Focusing on species adulteration and developed DNA bar codes like short genetic sequences, much like super market bar codes, becomes and identifying mark for 150 species used in traditional medicine. Between 2010 and 2016, five published studies detailed scale of adulteration. 1) Ashoka bark cures menorrhea, uterine disorders, and as anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial drug found to have an 90% adulteration by seven other species including Papaya, Drumstick bark in Tamilnadu and Sal trees in central India- Barak and roots are powered before sale are most adulterated while fruits like Kokum adulteration is rare.

7 2) Seema- constipation to arthritis was adulterated between 8% to 50%. sida species used for analgesic or anti-bacterial properties were 80% adulterated. 3) Impact unclear-i.e. Effects on humans as lead found in few traditional medicines are causing harm. National referral center for lead projects (NRCLPI) at St. Johns hospital in Bengaluru says that second highest cause of lead pointing among their patients, complain nausea, weakness, loss of appetite, headaches was through intake of traditional medicines, but majority of patients work in lead battery sector so impact is unclear. 4) Metal poisoning: Thuppil Venkatesh-lead man of India says 5 years ago, barely two patients a month come with high levels of lead in their blood, but now 30 a month due to traditional medicines and 2008 study co-authored by Dr.Venkatesh estimate lead, mercury and arsenic may be present up to 20% of traditional medicinal products. Lead effects on children are decreases IQ, nervous system damage, behavior issues, decreases muscle and bone growth and kidney damage, but on adults are illness during pregnancy, (harm fetus, brain damage or death) fertility problems in men and women, high blood pressure, digestive and nerve disorders, memory problems and joint pains etc.

8 Way forward: A policy frame work is needed to set up laboratories that use on a tools and quality assurance certification for raw products in herbal markets is required, unlike chemical drugs certified in products to stage, traditional medicine needs to certify in raw stage. Proxy voting and Representation of people Act Context: External affairs minister said that soon non-resident Indians (NRIs) would be able to proxy-note in elections in the country as the government was set to amend the representation of the people Act. Representation of the peoples Act, 1951 (RPA) It on act to provide for the conduct of elections of the houses of parliament and to the house or hoses of the legislative of each state, the qualifications and disqualifications for membership of those houses, the corrupt practices and other offences at or in connection with such elections and the decision of doubts and disputes arising out of or in connection with such elections. The Act was enacted by the provisional parliament under Article 327 of Indian constitution, before the first general election. Amendments in RPA: Representation of the people (Amendment) Act, 1966 (47 of 1966) abolished the election tribunals and transferred the election petitions to the high court s whose orders can be appealed to Supreme Court.

9 Representation of the people (Amendment and validation) Act, 2013 (29 of 2013) was introduced by Varun Gandhi. Some Notabel cases and intences: Former PM Manmohan Singh had announced that the government had issued notifications for registration of overseas Indian electors under the RPA to enable Indians residing abroad to participate in elections. The Allahabad high court cleared Indira Gandhi her election null and void and unseated hear from her LS seat on the charge fo misuse of government machinery for her election campaign, It also banned her from contesting any election for six years. This resulted in declaration of emergency and amendments were made in the constitution to validate the election. As part of disproportionate assets case against Jayalalitha, she became in 2014 the first CM to be disqualified from office. Proxy voting: It is a form of voting where by a voter may delegate his or her voting power to a representative to enable a vote in absence. A person so designated is called a proxy and the person designating him or she is called a principal. Challenges in Proxy voting: It cannot be guaranteed that the proxy voter would vote as per the wishes of the actual voter.

10 Proxy voting violates the Principles of secrecy of vote and free and fast elections The election commission should define a proxy and decide who can be selected for the purpose. Stubble Burning Context: Government harassing farmers, in name of Stubble Burning say AAP. Stubble burning the process in which deliberate setting fire of the Stubble that remains after wheat and other grains has been harvested. This practice was wide spread until 1990; later governments increasingly restricted its use. Stubble: The leftover stems after harvesting. Effects: The burning of stubble has a number of consequences and effects on the environment. Positive Effects: 1) It quickly clears the field and it is very cheap. 2) It kills pests, slugs (insects) etc. 3) It can reduce nitrogen.

11 Negative effects: 1) Loss of nutrients from soil. 2) It leads to lots of smoke which results in pollution. 3) Risk of fires spreading out of control. 4) It also releases a small amount of CO2, which is component of GHGs Stubble Burning in India: In India, stubble burning is more in Punjab, because Punjab has 2 growing seasons. 1) May to September. 2) November to April. So, in November farmers in Punjab typical sow crops such as wheat and vegetable. They set fire to their fields to clear them before planting.