Daily Current Affairs for 19th September 2020

SC allows registration of BS-IV diesel vehicles

Paper:

Mains: General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management

Why in News?

The Supreme Court allowed the registration of BS-IV emission norms’ compliant vehicles purchased on or before March 31, 2020 by the Municipal Corporations to carry out essential public utility services like garbage clearance in Delhi.

Key Details:

• The vehicles which are purchased before March 31 should be with the e-Vahan portal of the government to establish the date of purchase.
• All these registrations will be scrutinised by the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA).
• The EPCA will submit a report to the apex court.
• Public utility and essential services vehicles purchased by the Delhi municipal bodies after April 1, 2020 can be registered if they are compliant with the updated BS-VI emissions norms.
• A Bench led by Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde allowed registration of all CNG vehicles.

Background:

• Earlier in March, an application was filed by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) seeking the extension of sale and registration of BS-IV vehicles for a month.
• The FADA, while approaching the top court, had sought an extension of the March 31 deadline for the sale of BS-IV vehicles on grounds of the loss of sales due to the lockdown imposed in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• This scenario developed as such because India decided to switch straight to BS-VI emission standards from BS-IV.
• On 26^th March 2020, the Supreme Court extended the March 31, 2020 deadlinefor the sale and registration of BS-IV emission norm-compliant vehicles because of the “extraordinary” situation arising out of the 21-day COVID-19 lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The court said the first category of vehicles could be registered after the lockdown was withdrawn.
• As for the unsold vehicles, dealers could sell 10% of the stock after the lockdown was lifted.
• Dealers in Delhi-NCR have been denied the relief owing to the high levels of the pollution in the national capital.

Bharat Stage norms

Definition of ‘Bharat Emission Standards’

• These are the standards set up by the Indian government which specify the amount of air pollutants from internal combustion engines, including those that vehicles can emit.
• If these emit more pollutants than the prescribed limit, they don’t get a clearance to be sold in an open market.
• Bharat Stage Emission Standards have been instituted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), instituted within the Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change.
• Vehicle emission norms were introduced in India in 1991 for petrol and in 1992 for diesel vehicles.
• Since 2000, Euro norms are followed in India under the name Bharat Stage Emission Standards for four wheeled vehicles.
• Bharat stage III norms have been enforced across India since October 2010.
• In a few cities, Bharat stage IV norms are in place since April 2010.
• Bharat stage IV is proposed to be enforced throughout India by April 2017.

Bharat Stage-VI, or BS-VI emission standards.

• In a bid to bring down pollution levels, the Central government has announced that from April 1, 2020, all vehicles sold in India should comply with Bharat Stage-VI, or BS-VI emission standards.
• The Bharat Stage emission standards are the legal limits on the amount of air pollutants like carbon monoxide and particulate matter that a vehicle in India can emit.
• These standards are targeted at making improvements in three areas — emission control, fuel efficiency and engine design.
• India is currently operating on the BS-IV emission norms.
• In 2016, the government made a decision to jump BS-V and implement BS-VI in the country.
• BS-VI standard fuel is said to be the world’s cleanest fuel.

What makes BS-VI fuel better?

• Sulphur content in fuel is a major cause for concern.
• Sulphur dioxide released by fuel burning is a major pollutant that affects health as well.
• BS-VI fuel’s sulphur content is much lower than BS-IV fuel. It is reduced to 10 mg/kg max in BS-VI from 50 mg/kg under BS-IV.
• This reduction makes it possible to equip vehicles with better catalytic converters that capture pollutants.
• However, BS-VI fuel is expected to be costlier that BS-IV fuel.
• Vehicles that are compliant with BS-VI will also be more expensive.

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National security plan for safe cyberspace soon’

Paper:

Mains: General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management

Why in News?

The Union government is set to come up with National Cyber Security Strategy 2020 for ensuring a safe, secured, trusted and resilient cyber space.

Key Details:

• The proposed strategy aimed at bringing together all cybersecurity agencies for securing, strengthening and synergizing the cybersecurity ecosystem by closely associating with businesses, citizens and beyond.
• Attempts were being made by adversaries to exploit the crisis in the wake of the pandemic through various misinformation, fake news and social media campaigns.

Defining Cyber:

• Cyberspace is the connected Internet Ecosystem
• Trends Exposing critical infrastructure to increased risk:
  • Interconnectedness of Sectors
  • Proliferation of exposure points
  • Concentration of Assets
• Cyber Security is protecting cyber space (critical infrastructure) from attack, damage, misuse and economic espionage

Issues and Concern:

• Cyber Intrusions and Attacks have increased dramatically over the last decade, exposing sensitive personal and business information, disrupting critical operations, and imposing high costs on the economy
• Phishing campaigns using the COVID19 theme targeted banks, defence and critical infrastructure during this period.
• Increase in crime Malicious domains and websites to the tune of around 5,000 were registered in a short span of time.
• An increase of 500% in cybercrime owing to people’s limited awareness and poor cyber hygiene.
• Financial frauds have also increased owing to the increased reliance on digital payment platforms.
• The huge cyber data floating in the cyber space is a gold mine for extracting information that can undermine the privacy of citizens.

The current state of cyber security in India

• Currently, the Information Act, 2000 is the primary law for dealing with cybercrime and digital commerce in the country.
• The Act was first formulated in 2000, and then was revised in 2008 and came into force a year late.
• The Information Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2008 amended a number of sections that were related to digital data, electronic devices and cybercrimes.
• In the Information Technology Amendment Act, 2008, cybersecurity is exercised under

1. Sections 43 (data protection),
2. Section 66 (hacking),

• Section 66a (measures against sending offensive messages),

1. Section 66b punishment for illegally possessing stolen computer resources or communication devices),
2. Section 67(protection against unauthorised access to data),
3. Section 69 (cyberterrorism),

• Section 70 (securing access or attempting to secure access to a protected system) and
• Section 72 (privacy and confidentiality) among others.
• The Government approved a framework to enhance security in Indian cyberspace for cybersecurity with the National Security Council Secretariat functioning as the nodal agency.
• The National Cyber Security Policy, 2013 was developed to build a secure and resilient cyberspace for India’s citizens and businesses.

1. The policy aims to protect information and the information infrastructure in cyberspace, build capabilities to prevent and respond to cyber threats, reduce vulnerabilities and minimise damage from cyber incidents through a combination of institutional structures, people, processes, technology and cooperation.

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Bengal govt., experts spar over NGT order

Paper:

Mains: General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations.

Why in news?

National Green Tribunal (NGT) refused to entertain a review petition of the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Agency (KMDA) to allow Rabindra Sarobar, a park and water body for Chhath Puja.

Background

In a 2017 order, the NGT had strictly prohibited “performance of any Puja, community picnic or Organisation of other social events in and around Rabindra Sarobar”.

Rabindra Sarobar

• Rabindra Sarobar(previously known as Dhakuria Lake) is an artificial lake in South Kolkata in West Bengal.
• In the winter, one can spot some migratory birds around the lake, though the numbers are dwindling because of the rise in pollution level.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recently included this lake under the National Lake Conservation Planin the hope that this will help preserve it.

Wetlands & Lakes

• Wetlands – Shallow water bodies (< 2 m deep), water recedes in dry season, support dominant macrophyte growth & aquatic biodiversity.
• Lakes – Relatively deep permanent water bodies, limited submergent macrophyte & fish, provide water for varying human consumption.

National Green Tribunal:

• The NGT was established on October 18, 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010, passed by the Central Government.
• The stated objective was to provide a specialized forum for effective and speedy disposal of cases pertaining to environment protection, conservation of forests and for seeking compensation for damages caused to people or property due to violation of environmental laws or conditions specified while granting permissions.

Powers

The NGT has the power to hear all civil cases relating to environmental issues and questions that are linked to the implementation of laws listed in Schedule I of the NGT Act. These include the following:

1. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;
2. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977;
3. The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980;
4. The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981;
5. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986;
6. The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991;
7. The Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

• This means that any violations pertaining only to these laws, or any order / decision taken by the Government under these laws can be challenged before the NGT.
• Importantly, the NGT has not been vested with powers to hear any matter relating to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and various laws enacted by States relating to forests, tree preservation etc.
• Therefore, specific and substantial issues related to these laws cannot be raised before the NGT.

Principles of Justice adopted by NGT

• The NGT is not bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.
• Further, NGT is also not bound by the rules of evidence as enshrined in the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.

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Bamboo shoots can be among cheapest immunity boosters’

Paper:

Mains: General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management

Why in News?

The bamboo, considered the grass of life in the northeast, takes care of almost every requirement from birth to death, But the focus ‘World Bamboo Day’ was on the nutraceutical bamboo shoot.

Key details: 

• The term ‘nutraceutical’ is used to describe medicinally or nutritionally functional foods while bamboo shoots are the edible sprouts of the perennial grass.
• Bamboo shoots are emerging as high-value and safe edibles and growing in utility globally along with all other value-added bamboo products.
• The protein content in fresh bamboo shoots, considered as nutraceutical, can range between 1.49-4.04%.
• They also contain 17 amino acids, eight of which are essential for the human body.
• More than 3 million tonnes of bamboo shoots are consumed across the earth annually, but the shoot production and consumption in India are confined mostly to the north-eastern States.

National Bamboo Mission

• The National Bamboo Mission (NBM) was implemented as a sub-scheme under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). 
• The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation (DAC) under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare implemented the centrally Sponsored scheme, to harness the potential of the bamboo crop.

Bamboo is not tree but grass

• India has the highest area (13.96 million hectares) under bamboo.
• It is the second richest country after China in terms of bamboo diversity with 136 species.
• Scientifically speaking, bamboo is not tree but grass. However, the Indian Forest Act, 1927 considered it as tree. Accordingly, cutting bamboo from outside forests and transporting it was made unlawful.
• As a result, farmers in the bamboo-growing states, particularly the North East, had to face harassment quite often because they could neither cut it nor transport it.
• Despite India being the second largest grower of bamboo after China, it had to import bamboo from Taiwan even for sundry purposes such as making of ‘agarbattis’ (candlestick).
• There was a long-pending demand to amend the obsolete law. The Lok Sabha amended a 90-year-old law and categorised bamboo as grass.
• Following the amendment in the Indian Forest Act, 1927, bamboo has been removed from the category of tree.
• Now there is no prohibition on growing or cutting bamboo trees even outside the forests.

Bamboo is ‘Green Gold’

• Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee raised the profile of the bamboo to “green gold”, promising to use it as a vehicle to boost the rural economy.
• In Union Budget 2018, the government allocated a whopping Rs 1,290 crore to promote the bamboo sector.

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Country-of-origin: onus is on importers

Paper:

Mains: General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management

Why in News?

The Customs (Administration of Rules of Origin under Trade Agreements) Rules, 2020 (CAROTAR, 2020), notified on August 21, shall come into force from September 21.

Key Details:

• Importers will have to do their due diligence to ensure that imported goods meet the prescribed ‘rules of origin’ provisions for availing concessional rate of customs duty under free trade agreements (FTAs).
• The Customs Administration of Rules of Origin under Trade Agreements Rules, 2020 (CAROTAR, 2020), will come into force from September 2020.
• Under the rules, the importer has to possess all relevant information related to country of origin criteria, including the regional value content and submit the same to the proper officer on request.
• Also, an importer would now have to enter certain origin related information in the Bill of Entry, as available in the Certificate of Origin.

CAROTAR, 2020:

• The Department of Revenue has notified the ‘Customs (Administration of Rules of Origin under Trade Agreements) Rules, 2020.
• CAROTAR 2020 comprises of norms for the enforcement of ‘rules of origin’ provisions for allowing preferential rate of customs duties on products imported under free trade agreements.
• Under this provision, a country that has inked an FTA with India cannot dump goods from some third country in the Indian market by just putting a label on it.
• The new norms have been framed with a view to checking inbound shipments of low-quality products and dumping of goods by a third country routed through an FTA partner country.
• CAROTAR 2020 supplements the existing operational certification procedures prescribed under different trade agreements.
• India has inked FTAs with several countries, including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and ASEAN members.
• Under such agreements, two trading partners significantly reduce or eliminate import/customs duties on the maximum number of goods traded between them.