23-24 September 2016
IWAI signs contract with DST, Germany for designing Special Vessels for NW-1
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) on 21 September 2016 signed a contract with M/s DST, Germany to design vessels, especially suited to navigate the 1620 km stretch of National Waterway-1 (NW-1). Under the contract, DST will develop 150 to 200 low draft vessels.
The contract was signed with an aim to provide safe, environment friendly and economical mode of transportation through NW-1.
The objective of IWAI is to go along with nature and disturb the river minimally. The specially designed vessels will navigate on low drafts and will be of high carrying capacity, and most importantly, will be environment friendly.
Highlights
• DST will develop a combination of standardised vessels to meet the requirement of various types of cargo.
• One of the most important navigational challenges for NW-1 is the kind of vessels that will play on the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly stretch.
• Keeping in view the difficult hydro-morphological characteristics of the river in the upper reaches between Patna and Varanasi, it is important to have vessels which can ply on low draft, with high carrying capacity, and are economically viable and environment friendly.
Background
• Union Government is developing the National Waterway-1 under the Jal Marg Vikas Project, with assistance from the World Bank at an estimated cost of 4200 crore rupees.
• The project would enable commercial navigation of vessels with capacity of 1500-2000 tons.
• Phase-I of the project covers the Haldia-Varanasi stretch.
• The project includes development of fairway, Multi-Modal Terminals at Varanasi, Haldia, and Sahibganj.
• It also includes strengthening of river navigation system, conservancy works, modern River Information System (RIS), Digital Global Positioning System (DGPS), night navigation facilities, modern methods of channel marking, construction of a new state of the art navigational lock at Farakka etc.
List of National Waterways in India
NAME |
River |
| NW1 | Allahabad-Haldia stretch of the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly Rivers |
| NW2 | Sadiya-Dhubri Stretch of Brahmaputra River |
| NW3 | Kollam-Kozhikode Stretch of West Coast Canal and Champakara and Udyogmandal Canals |
Union Cabinet approves Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2016
The Union Cabinet on 21 September 2016 gave its approval to enact Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill 2016 and to repeal five archaic admiralty statutes.
The Bill consolidates the existing laws relating to admiralty jurisdiction of courts, admiralty proceedings on maritime claims, arrest of vessels and related issues.
The approval also repeals five obsolete British statues on admiralty jurisdiction in civil matters, namely,
(a) The Admiralty Court Act, 1840
(b) The Admiralty Court Act, 1861
(c) Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act, 1890
(d) Colonial Courts of Admiralty (India) Act, 1891
(e) The provisions of the Letters Patent, 1865 applicable to the admiralty jurisdiction of the Bombay, Calcutta and Madras High Courts.
Salient Features of Admiralty Bill, 2016
This legislative proposal will fulfill a long-standing demand of the maritime legal fraternity. The salient features are as follows:-
• The Bill confers admiralty jurisdiction on High Courts located in coastal states of India and this jurisdiction extends up to territorial waters.
• The jurisdiction is extendable, by a Central Government notification, up to exclusive economic zone or any other maritime zone of India or islands constituting part of the territory of India.
• It applies to every vessel irrespective of place of residence or domicile of owner.
• Inland vessels and vessels under construction are excluded from its application but the Central Government is empowered to make it applicable to these vessels also by a notification if necessary.
• It does not apply to warships and naval auxiliary and vessels used for non-commercial purposes.
• The jurisdiction is for adjudicating on a set of maritime claims listed in the Bill.
• In order to ensure security against a maritime claim a vessel can be arrested in certain circumstances.
• The liability in respect of selected maritime claims on a vessel passes on to its new owners by way of maritime liens subject to a stipulated time limit.
• In respect of aspects on which provisions are not laid down in the Bill, the Civil Procedure Code, 1908 is applicable.
Background
India is a leading maritime nation and maritime transportation caters to about ninety-five percent of its merchandise trade volume. However, under the present statutory framework, the admiralty jurisdiction of Indian courts flow from laws enacted in the British era.
Admiralty jurisdiction relates to powers of the High Courts in respect of claims associated with transport by sea and navigable waterways. The repealing of five admiralty statutes is in line with the Government's commitment to do away with archaic laws which are hindering efficient governance.
2016 Right Livelihood Award announced
The 2016 Right Livelihood Award widely referred as the Alternative Nobel Prize was announced on 22 September 2016 in Stockholm, Sweden. The laureates of this year’s Right Livelihood Award include
• Syria Civil Defence (The White Helmets)
• Egypt’s Mozn Hassan and Nazra for Feminist Studies
• Russia’s Svetlana Gannushkina
• Turkish daily Cumhuriyet
The laureates will share the 3.0-million-kronor (350000 dollar) prize.
The White Helmets of Syria was awarded for their outstanding bravery, compassion and humanitarian engagement in rescuing civilians from the destruction of the Syrian civil war’. It is the first time that a Right Livelihood Award goes to a Laureate from Syria.
Mozn Hassan and Nazra for Feminist Studies from Egypt were awarded for asserting the equality and rights of women in circumstances where they are subject to ongoing violence, abuse and discrimination.
Russia’s Svetlana Gannushkina was awarded for her decades-long commitment to promoting human rights and justice for refugees and forced migrants, and tolerance among different ethnic groups.
The Turkish newspaper, Cumhuriyet was awarded for their fearless investigative journalism and commitment to freedom of expression in the face of oppression, censorship, imprisonment and death threats’
The jury said all of this year’s winners upheld fundamental human rights and values in the face of war and repression.
2016 Right Livelihood Award
The Right Livelihood Award is an international award to honour and support those offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges being faced by the world today.
The prize was established in 1980 by German-Swedish philanthropist Jakob von Uexkull, and is presented annually in early December. It was created after the Nobel Foundation refused to create awards honouring efforts in the fields of the environment and international development.
Sanjay Dutta, Ritesh Sarothiya selected for Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards
Two Indian forest officials, Sanjay Dutta and Ritesh Sarothiya, have been selected for the 2016 Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards. Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards honours individuals engaging in exemplary law enforcement actions to protect wildlife.
Sanjay Dutta is the range officer of Belakoba Forest Range Jalpaiguri in West Bengal and Ritesh Sarothiya is the assistant conservator of Madhya Pradesh State Forest.
The award ceremony will be held on 3 October 2016 at the 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards
The Species Survival Network, in cooperation with the Animal Welfare Institute, coordinates the presentation of the Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards to individuals who engage in exemplary law enforcement actions to protect wildlife.
The Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards are named in memory of the late Chief of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's Division of Law Enforcement, who pioneered the Division's highly effective use of covert investigations and "sting" operations to uncover illegal wildlife trade. The awards have traditionally been presented by the Secretary-General of CITES during meetings of the Conference of the Parties.
Conserving wildlife is frequently difficult, dangerous and sometimes deadly. The Bavin Awards recognize the extraordinary efforts that law enforcement officers and other field-based individuals are willing to make in order to protect the world's wildlife.
NITI Aayog chalks up plan to secure 50 medals in 2024 Olympics
NITI Aayog, the think tank of union government, has devised a short –term and medium-to-long term action plan to help India achieve 50 medals in 2024 summer Olympics.
In its action plan for revitalising sports in India, Niti Aayog said, India still does not have a conducive environment for sports to polish the talent of Indian sports persons and make them at par with their global counterparts.
Details of the Vision
• Short-term vision (4-8 years): it envisages targeting a group of priority sports, organising sports persons into three groups for each priority sport, harnessing the potential of indigenous and regional sports, selecting world-class coaches as well as a grading system for coaches.
This term will also focus on a sports injury insurance scheme, strengthening and scaling up of existing SAI training centres, facilitating creation of sports academies for individual sports and more. It also looks forward towards creating a digital database for sports, implementing national sports code and sports Bill and promoting revenue generating methods for team leagues of priority sports.
• Medium to long term vision (8-15 years): It will focus on identifying talent at a young age, having sports curriculum in schools, a dedicated training program for coaches, encouraging development of sports infrastructure through private or PPP mode and developing a health and psychological support division.
It will also focus on availability of consistent funding of contracts as well as promoting a culture of sports in the country. In terms of funding, the Aayog said that to do away the process of erratic funding it has recommended that after each Olympics, a fixed 4-year contract is signed between SAI (Sports Authority of India) and sportspersons from Group A sportspersons, keeping in mind the funding required by them up to the next Olympics and other international events in between.
For Group B and C also, the budgets for the next 4 years should be fixed, with consistent funding allocation for each year. Funding data for all the groups should be publicly made available as soon as it gets finalised.
Afghanistan signs peace deal with militant group Hezb-e-Islami
Afghanistan on 22 September 2016 signed a peace agreement with one of the country's largest militant groups Hezb-e-Islami led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. This agreement paves the way for Hekmatyar to make a political comeback.
As per the agreement, Hekmatyar will be granted amnesty for his offences and the prisoners of Hezb-e-Islami will be released by the government. The deal also includes provisions for his security at government expense.
The document was signed by the government delegation and a team representing Hekmatyar's Hezb-e Islami militant group at a press conference in Kabul. The government said that the agreement will come into force after it is formally signed by Ghani and Hekmatyar. Till now, no formal date has been set for signing of the deal.
The deal marks a symbolic victory for President Ashraf Ghani, who has struggled to revive peace talks with the more powerful Taliban.
Widely known as butcher of Kabul, Hekmatyar was a prominent anti-Soviet commander in the 1980s. He is accused of killing thousands in the Kabul during the 1992-93 Civil War. His forces also carried out attacks against the US and Afghan forces since 2001.
India, France inked deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets
India and France on 23 September 2016 inked the 7.8-billion Euro deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets. As per the deal, the aircraft will be equipped with latest missiles and weapon system like Meteor and Scalp.
The 7.8 billion Euro deal is crucial for the Indian Air Force and is expected to give India the dominant status in the air. The deal was signed in New Delhi by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his French counterpart Jean Yves Le Drian.
The features that make the Rafale a strategic weapon is its Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Meteor air-to-air missile with a range in excess of 150 kilometre.
During the Kargil war, India had used a BVR having 50 kilometre range. The delivery of this aircraft will start in 36 months and will be completed in 66 months from the date the contract is inked.
24 September
IAF successfully fired long range air-to-air MICA missile from Mirage-2000 combat aircraft
Indian Air Force on 23 September 2016 successfully fired the recently acquired long range air-to-air MICA missile on a manoeuvring target from Mirage-2000 Upgrade combat aircraft.
A Defence Ministry release said in New Delhi that the missile achieved a direct hit on a target which was much smaller than an actual aircraft and flying at a low altitude.
The release said, with the success of this mission by 'Tigers', the first squadron of the force, IAF has become one of the few air forces in the world with the capability of such beyond visual range air-to-air missile.
Mirage-2000
The Mirage 2000 is a single-engine fourth-generation jet fighter manufactured by France's Dassault Aviation. It was designed in the late 1970s as a lightweight fighter based on the Mirage III for the French Air Force (Armée de l'Air).
The upgraded Mirage 2000 fighter jets are fitted with the Thales RDY 2 radar, a helmet-mounted display, new avionics, and the ability to fire new weapons including the MICA missile.
Hindi and Urdu writer Reoti Saran Sharma passes away
Reoti Saran Sharma, the renowned Hindi and Urdu writer, playwright and television personality, died in New Delhi on 23 September 2016. He was 92 years.
He was a Pioneer in radio plays in All India Radio and was conferred with Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2007 for his contribution to theatre (dramatic literature and performance).
Reoti Saran Sharma
• He penned memorable television serials like Phir Wahi Talaash, Adhikaar, Aur Bhi Gam Hain Zamane Mein, Lena-Dena and The Great Maratha.
• He wrote more than 150 radio plays at the All India Radio, some of which were translated into regional languages.
• Some plays written by him included Na Dharam Na Iman, Deepshika and Andehere ka Beta.
• He was awarded Sahitya Kala Parishad and Ghalib Award.
Delhi government raised Doctors retirement age to 65
Delhi government on 23 September 2016 increased the retirement age of doctors working in its hospitals to 65 years. Earlier, the retirement age of doctors was 62.
Health Department had recently sent a proposal to the Lt Governor to seek his approval. The LG has given his approval to government's proposal to increase the retirement age of doctors.
The decision will help the state government to retain experienced doctors for a longer period of time and provide better services in government-run public health facilities. There are nearly 36 hospitals run by Delhi government in the national capital.
However, the doctors above the age of 62 will not be allowed to hold administrative posts like dean of a medical college, superintendent or head of the department.
At present, Delhi government hospitals have three cadres of doctors’ namely teaching, non-teaching specialists and general duty medical officers. Earlier, the retirement age for only the doctors of teaching cadre was 65 but with this decision, all doctors will retire at the age of 65.
Earlier in May 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the proposal to increase the age of retirement of government doctors to 65 years.
India-Russia Joint Military Exercise Indra-2016 begins in Vladivostok
The eighth edition of India-Russia Joint Military Exercise ‘INDRA-2016’ begun in the Ussiriysk District in Vladivostok, Russia. The main focus of this edition of the joint exercise is on Counter-Terrorism Operations in semi mountainous and jungle terrain under United Nations Mandate.
To achieve interoperability in joint operations, troops from both sides would acquaint themselves with the respective approach to such operations. A comprehensive training programme spanning eleven days has been drawn up for the purpose.
Brigadier Sukrit Chadah is leading the Indian contingent of 250 soldiers from the Kumaon Regiment while the Russian army is being represented by 250 soldiers from the 59th Motorised Infantry Brigade.
Indra series of bilateral exercises is one of the major bilateral defence cooperation initiatives between India and Russia since 2003. The Indian contingent is scheduled to return to India on termination of the Exercise in the first week of October 2016.
UN Security Council adopts resolution on nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament
The UN Security Council on 23 September 2016 approved a resolution urging quick global implementation of Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban treaty that would ban tests of nuclear weapons.
With 14 votes in favour and one abstention (Egypt), the resolution welcomed progress made towards universalization of the Treaty, noting that 183 States have signed the Treaty and 166 States have deposited their instruments of ratification.
US Secretary of State John Kerry invoked North Korea's latest nuclear explosion in urging ratification of the treaty for a safer, more secure, and more peaceful planet. But the US has not yet done so.
The UN's Comprehensive Test Ban Organization already has a network of monitoring stations. But it still cannot go on site to inspect for tests until the treaty enters into force. For that, the holdouts among the 44 countries that are designated nuclear capable, the United States, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan must ratify.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty bans all nuclear explosions for both civilian and military purposes. Adopted by the UN General Assembly under resolution 50 (1996), the Treaty will enter into force 180 days after the date of deposit of the instruments of ratification by all.