Citing swine fever, China bans pork imports from India
Paper: III
Prelims: Facts and Definition
What is in news:
African Swine Fever (ASF) and Classical Swine Fever (CSF).
African Swine Fever (ASF)
- African swine fever (ASF) and classical swine fever (CSF) are highly contagious viral diseases that affect pigs. They are clinically similar, and cannot be definitively distinguished from each other in the field. Laboratory testing is required to confirm a diagnosis.
- Although the diseases appear similar, they are caused by completely unrelated viruses.
Classical Swine Fever (CSF)
- It is often known as ‘hog cholera’ and is caused by a virus from the pestivirus genus of the Flaviviridae family.
- The agent causing CSF is a small, positive single-stranded, enveloped RNA virus.
- It is closely related to the virus that causes bovine viral diarrhoea (mucosal disease) in cattle and border disease (hairy shaker disease) in sheep.
African Swine Fever (ASF)
- The virus belongs to the Asfivirus genus of the Asfarviridae family.
- The ASF virus (ASFV) is a large enveloped double-stranded Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) virus and the only DNA arbovirus (arthropod borne) known so far.
- It is caused by a virus that is unrelated to the classical swine fever virus and has a more complex genetic structure.
ASF as well as CSF are viral diseases affecting pigs exclusively
- Both ASF and CSF affect pigs only, and do not infect humans and other livestock.
Spread
- The virus is spread from infected or carrier pigs via discharges from the nose, mouth, urine and faeces or infected semen and it is highly contagious.
- The virus survives in frozen carcasses for long periods of time.
Hindi as official language in Haryana courts challenged
Paper: II
Mains: General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations.
Why in News:
The Haryana Government’s decision to enforce the use of Hindi language in all courts and tribunals across the state has been challenged in the Supreme Court.
Arguments
- Their petition contends that the Haryana Official Language (Amendment) Act of 2020 has unconstitutionally and arbitrarily imposed Hindi as the sole official language to be used in lower courts across the State.
- The lawyers have argued that English is widely used by advocates and the subordinate judiciary in lower courts in justice administration work.
- The imposition of Hindi as the sole language would result in an unreasonable classification between lawyers who are fluent in Hindi and those who are not.
- They argued that the amendment was a violation of the fundamental right to equality, freedom to practice a profession of choice, dignity and livelihood.
Those favoring Hindi:
- They won’t feel alien in their own country, if Hindi is made the language for usage in office.
- The Haryana cabinet expressed its interest to get the Hindi language authorized for use in the courts so that the citizens of Haryana can understand the entire process as it will be in their own language and it will also enable them to easily put their views before the Courts.
Language of Court:
- Article 348 (1) of the Constitution of India provides that all proceedings in the Supreme Court and in every High Court shall be in the English Language until Parliament by law otherwise provides.
- (2) The State Government may declare what shall be the language of any such Court and in what character applications to and proceedings in such Courts shall be written
Don’t charge migrants bus or train fare, says SC
Paper: II
Mains: General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations.
Why in News:
- In what could come as a relief to migrant workers, the Supreme Court has ordered the Central Govt. and the state governments not to charge either train fare or bus fee from migrant workers who are keen on returning to their home states.
Supreme Court’s Stand:
- It has asked both the State Governments, one in which they are currently working and the other where they are headed to (home state) to pool travel expenses.
- Workers waiting for their transport should be provided shelter, food and water by the State responsible.
- If they are travelling by train, Railways would be in charge of providing migrant workers drinking water and meals.
- In case of bus travel, the state from where they started has to provide them food and water.
- States should simplify and speed up the process of registration of migrant workers.
- After registration, they should be allowed to board buses or trains at the earliest.
- The court ordered States to set up help kiosks at places where migrant workers were stranded.
- The receiving State, after the workers reached their native place, shall provide transport, health screening and other facilities free of cost.
SC Observation
- The Supreme Court also found that there have been several lapses in the process of registration, transportation and providing food, water to the migrants.
- It was seen that even after registration, the migrant workers had to wait for long periods for them to board the bus/train.
Recommendations
- States should oversee registration of migrant workers and ensure they are made to board the train or bus at an early date.
- Government must give adequate publicity to the steps it proposes to take.
- Those who are found walking on the roads shall be taken to shelters immediately and provided food.
- It ordered the Railways to provide trains when a state asked for it to transport migrants.
Cordyceps Militaris
Paper: III
Mains: General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management
Why in news:
- Bodoland University has developed a fungal powder to help people boost their immunity to COVID-19.
- The powder is from a parasitic but rare “super mushroom” called Cordyceps militaris.
Cordyceps
- Cordyceps militaris is an entomopathogenic fungus, meaning it parasitizes insects.
- The earth has more than 400 species of Cordyceps
- It is known for its anti-ageing, anti-viral, energy and immunity-boosting effects.
Key Details
- Paper pouches, each containing 150 mg of the super mushroom powder, were made by the University.
- It will be given once a week for making the system strong enough to resist viral attacks.