THIS FILE CONTAINS NEWS, EDITORIAL and QUESTION BANK

KEYWORDS

9th MAY 2017

1. Justice C. S. Karnan contempt of court case

2. Rs. 900- crore fodder scam
Lalu Prasad Yadav
2014 Jharkhand High Court decision to drop charges set aside by SC
3. TamRas
a low-cost copper-based water purification device
4. Tumuni village
In Odisha
swears by its decades old practice of self-rule
5. Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS)
in Left Wing Extremism affected States
commenced from 2008-09
to cater critical infrastructure gaps of Security forces which could not be covered under any other scheme.
discontinued from Central assistance from the financial year 2015-16 as per 14th Finance Commission
recommendation
6. Integrated Action Plan (IAP)
Additional Central Assistance (ACA) for LWE affected districts:
commenced from 2010-11 covering 60 Tribal and Backward districts
for accelerated development by providing public infrastructure and services.
extended to 82 districts in 2012.
discontinued from the central assistance from the financial year 2015-16.
7. Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API)
raw materials from which drugs are made
8. CoBRA (COmmando Battalion for Resolute Action)
specialised unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) of India
proficient in guerrilla tactics and jungle warfare.
Originally established to counter the Naxalite problem
deployed to address any insurgent group engaging in asymmetrical warfare.
one of India's more experienced and successful law enforcement units.
9. MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme)
10. Palaeo-channels
old rivers that have dried up and filled with sediment.
11. K.S. Valdiya committee
set up in October 2016
comprising of hydrologists, geologists and archaeologists
commissioned by the Water Resources Ministry
reported evidence on the course of the mythical Saraswati, mentioned in the Rigveda and Hindu mythology.
It concluded that the Sutlej river represented the western branch of the Saraswati.
The Markanda and the Sarsuti (now called the Ton-Yamuna rivers) watered the eastern branch of the river.
MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) fund to recharge remnants of
ancient rivers including the mythical Saraswati in a bid to boost groundwater reserves.
12. Emmanuel Macron
Elected Frances next President a
At 39, the pro-EU former investment banker will become Frances youngest-ever President.
13. Hambantota port
deep-sea port in Sri Lanka
built with Chinese loans in 2010
part of Beijings plans to create a Silk Route across Asia.
Sri Lanka owes $8 billion-debt to China
proposed deal to sell to Chinas state run China Merchants Port Holdings
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 Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) raised many concerns as proposed deal gives sweeping powers to the Chinese
company to handle operations near the port.
After signing a framework agreement with the Sri Lankan government in December 2016, the state run China
Merchants Port Holdings was expected to pay $1.12 billion for a 99-year lease, on an 80% stake in the Hambantota
port.
Colombo and Beijing also agreed to develop a 15,000- acre industrial zone near the port,
Beijing is now willing to sign the port deal, only if land for the industrial zone is made available.
However, locals have been resisting the project.
14. Nontariff barriers
form of restrictive trade where barriers to trade are set up and take a form other than a tariff.
Nontariff barriers include quotas, embargoes, sanctions, levies, child labour laws, licensing, packaging, and
labeling requirements; sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) rules
15. Sanitary & Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) barriers
aimed at the protection of human, animal or plant life from certain risks.
policies relating to food safety (bacterial contaminants, pesticides, inspection and labelling) as well as animal and
plant health (phytosanitation) with respect to imported commodities.
16. countervailing duties
an import tax imposed on certain goods in order to prevent dumping or counter export subsidies.
17. World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
one of the 17 specialized agencies of the United Nations.
created in 1967
headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland
to encourage creative activity, to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world.
currently has 189 member states, administers 26 international treaties.
18. Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS)
In Kerala
to rehabilitate Indian star tortoises (Geochelone elegans) seized from smugglers
the only rehabilitation centre for star tortoises in the country.

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 NEWS

9 May 2017

Sr. Topic News

No.
1. GS II: POLITY- JUDICIARY Karnan orders 5-year RI for CJI, 7 other SC judges
2. GS II: POLITY- JUDICIARY HC verdict favouring Lalu set aside
3. GS II: POLITY- JUDICIARY SC pulls up CBI for delay in filing appeal
4. GS III: S&T HEALTH Varsity applies grandma's wisdom for safe
drinking water needs
5. GS III: SECURITY Armymen favour political intervention in Kashmir
6. GS III: SECURITY Act tough against Maoists, States told
7. GS III: ENERGY Power Rankings
8. GS II : BILATERAL -INDIA - India to reopen API office in China after 3 years
CHINA
9. GS III: DEFENCE Push for private sector in defence production
10. GS II : BILATERAL -INDIA - China offers to rename OBOR to allay Indias fears
CHINA
11. GS III: SECURITY 2,000-strong CoBRA force for Sukma
12. GS II : BILATERAL -INDIA - India can play great role in peace efforts
PALESTINE
13. GS I : GEOGRAPHY Centre to tap MGNREGA funds to make Saraswati low
again
14. GS II : INTERNATIONAL After decisive win, Macron to take over on Sunday
EUROPE
15. GS II : INTERNATIONAL Ports Authority concerned over Hambantota
SRILANKA
16. GS II : BILATERAL -INDIA U.S. Centre to raise with U.S. non-tariff barriers
17. GS II: INTERNATIONAL Govt., WIPO to set up tech centres
ORGANISATIONS
18. GS III : ENVIRONMENT Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary hitches wagon to star tortoises
BIODIVERSITY
19. GS III : S&T Wooden filter removes toxins from water

GS II: POLITY- JUDICIARY

Karnan orders 5-year RI for CJI, 7 other SC judges

Calcutta High Court Judge C.S. Karnan on 8 May 2017 issued an order sentencing
eight Supreme Court judges to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed
a fine of Rs. 1,00,000 each under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes
(Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989 and the amended Act of 2015.
The eight include members of the seven-judge Bench, headed by Chief Justice of India
J.S. Khehar, which had in February issued a contempt order against him for allegedly
degrading the judiciary.

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 The accused 1 to 8 shall not hold office and not be permitted to deal in any cases on the
file of the Supreme Court, besides any administrative orders, said the order.

GS II: POLITY- JUDICIARY

HC verdict favouring Lalu set aside

In a big blow to Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad, the Supreme Court on 8
May 2017 held that he and other accused persons, including former Bihar Chief
Minister Jagannath Mishra, will be tried separately for corruption and criminal
conspiracy in cases involving the withdrawal of money and falsification of records in
connection with the Rs. 900- crore fodder scam.
The Bench set aside the 2014 Jharkhand High Court decision to drop the charges
against the 68-year-old Mr. Prasad, Mr. Mishra and former State Chief Secretary
Sajal Chakraborty on the ground that they cannot be found guilty of the same
offences twice under Section 300 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
One general conspiracy from 1988 to 1996 led to various offences and there has to be
different trials for each offence based upon a conspiracy in which different persons
participated at different times at different places for completion of the offence...
In the instant case it cannot be said that defalcation is same transaction.
The transactions were done in different treasuries during different years, for different
amounts, on different allotment letters, supply orders and suppliers, the court said.
A total of 64 cases were registered.
A general conspiracy which gives birth to a cascade of distinct offences committed
in various places spread over several years and involving different accused persons
cannot be boxed into one trial. This would lead to injustice, the Supreme Court held
on 8 May 2017.
The Bench held that the orders of discharge of Mr. Prasad and the other two were
palpably illegal, faulty and contrary to the basic principles of law and the judge
has ignored a large number of binding decisions of the Supreme Court, while giving
impermissible benefit to the accused persons and delaying the case for several
years.
Mr. Prasad was, at the time of the High Court decision in November 2014, already
sentenced to a five year rigorous imprisonment in a corruption case connected to the
fodder scam involving the withdrawal of over Rs. 37 crore from the Chaibasa
Treasury during the period of 1994-95 on the basis of 78 fake allotment letters.
The sentence had immediately led to his disqualification from Parliament and
barred him from elections for 11 years.

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GS II: POLITY- JUDICIARY
SC pulls up CBI for delay in filing appeal

The Supreme Court held that the CBI director will be directly responsible for any
delay in filing appeals in higher courts, saying lethargy on the part of the countrys
premier investigative agency is intolerable.
The Bench was expressing its shock at how the CBI delayed filing appeals against the
Jharkhand High Courts order dropping charges against RJD supremo Lalu Prasad,
former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra and former chief secretary Sajal
Chakraborty in cases linked to the multi-crore fodder scam.
There was a combined delay of over 500 days in filing these appeals.
The fodder scam probe had been handed over to the CBI by the SC.
The court warned that any delay on the part of the CBI to file appeals will be presumed
deliberate in future.
In a decision meant to ensure that the CBI top brass are equally liable for slips made in
the legal process, a Bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy held that the CBI
director should devise a non-cumbersome methodology to take cases forward and ensure
that appeals are filed in time.
The court pointed out that the CBI manual mandates the expeditious filing of appeal

GS III: S&T HEALTH

Varsity applies grandmas wisdom for safe drinking water needs

TamRas is low-cost, copper-based device

For many of us, the sight of water stored in copper vessels reminds us of our
grandmothers homes.

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 Recognising coppers potent use in removing pathogens from water and making it fit
to drink, the Transdisciplinary University (TDU), Bengaluru, has launched TamRas, a
low-cost copper-based water purification device for rural areas.
TamRas consists of a 15-litre container that can house an immersible copper unit which
can give 15 litres of water free of common pathogens over 10 hours.
The device costs Rs.1,500 a unit.
Reasearchers at TDU, led by Padma Venkat, principal investigator, studied the effect of
storing water overnight in copper vessels. She found that when water, inoculated with
colony forming units of Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhi and Vibrio cholerae, was
stored overnight at room temperature in copper vessels, the organisms were no
longer recoverable when cultured, compared to water stored in control glass bottles
under similar conditions.
TDU has identified self help groups who will become entrepreneurs for the product,
who can sell the units in monthly instalments for those who cannot afford it, to ensure
residents have access to safe, potable water.

GS II: GOVERNANCE
Odisha village swears by gram swaraj

Tumuni village of Odishas Angul district swears by its decades old practice of self-
rule.
A 12-page document defines the responsibilities of residents and everyone here treats it
as their constitution.
For about 350 families here, the 19-member management committee is the highest
decision-making body.
However, the committee doesnt get involved in case of serious offences like rape and
murder.
Tumuni and six other villages work together to conserve the ecologically sensitive
1,300 acres of Mandaragiri reserved forest nearby.
No one in the village waits for government departments to carry out services like road
repair, pond renovation, etc., either.
Once the committee takes a decision to contribute labour, its incumbent upon villagers
to participate in community work.
One of the most interesting aspects of Tumunis self rule is its judicious distribution
of canal water for irrigation.
Anyone found to have damaged the canal network or wasted water meant for irrigation is
fined Rs. 1,000.
Started with seed money of Rs. 3,000 nearly a decade ago, the village fund has over Rs.
20 lakh in it.
By March 15, villagers submit applications seeking loans from the fund.
The panel disburses loan and fixes a deadline for repayment. Hardly anyone from the
village has defaulted so far.

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 Tumuni fits into the idea of a model village, as conceptualised by Gandhiji. It
takes its own decisions, follows its own constitution and manages its own resources.
It exhibits the true spirit of gram swaraj, said Swapna Sarangi of NGO Foundation of
Ecological Security.

GS III: SECURITY
Armymen favour political intervention in Kashmir

Without changing the aggressive security posture taken in Kashmir, the Centre
needs to immediately intervene politically if the level of violence has to come down
anytime soon, a significant number of military officers say.
Even the friendliest villager is telling us that they wont be able to help us, an Army
colonel said.
With even school students coming out to throw stones and protest against security forces,
the security forces are actually operating in extremely tricky situation, they argue.

GS III: SECURITY
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Act tough against Maoists, States told

Home Minister Rajnath Singh asked the Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected
States to take ownership in leading operations against the Maoists and called for
an aggressive approach to solve the menace, which has claimed over 12,000 lives
in the last decade.
However, the Ministers remarks were criticised by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar,
who said that if all work had to be done by States with their own resources, then what
was the purpose of having such a meeting?
Several States also raised the issue of discontinuation of central schemes such as
Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS) and Integrated Action Plan (IAP) and a
considerable reduction in central funds as an impediment to winning the war
against the Maoists.
The Minister stressed that there was a need to depute shadow intelligence officers
to track prominent targets associated with LWE.
Intelligence agencies dont have fresh photographs of the top Maoist leadership, he said.
Mr. Singh also asked the CAPF personnel to learn and respect the local customs and
traditions of tribals, wherever they are posted.

Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS)

The Scheme of Special Infrastructure in Left Wing Extremism affected States was
commenced in 11th five-year plan from the financial year 2008-09 with an outlay of Rs.
500 crores to cater critical infrastructure gaps of Security forces which could not be
covered under any other scheme.
The Scheme has been discontinued from Central assistance from the financial year
2015-16 as per recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission.

Integrated Action Plan (IAP)/ Additional Central Assistance (ACA) for LWE affected
districts:

The Planning Commission had commenced the Integrated Action Plan (IAP) in 2010-
11 covering 60 Tribal and Backward districts for accelerated development by
providing public infrastructure and services.
The Scheme was extended to 82 districts in 2012.
This scheme of ACA was under implementation up to 2014-15 and discontinued from
the central assistance from the financial year 2015-16.

GS III: ENERGY
Power Rankings

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GS II : BILATERAL -INDIA -CHINA
India to reopen API office in China after 3 years

After a gap of nearly three years, the Indian government will restart a permanent
audit office in China to conduct quality inspections of active pharmaceutical
ingredients (API), raw materials from which drugs are made.
While low-cost, generic medicines made in India have made it the pharmacy of the
world, most domestic manufacturers import API from China.

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GS III: DEFENCE
Push for private sector in defence production

The Government has accelerated efforts to finalise the ambitious Strategic

Partnership (SP) model, which would give a major boost to private sector
participation in defence manufacturing.
The policy, which is part of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016, will set
out guidelines on how major Indian private sector companies can tie up with global
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in critical military systems and
platforms.
It could unlock some of the big projects that are stalled, including the new line of
submarines and single engine fighter aircraft. It should be out in the next two months, a
defence official told.
The final clearance would be accorded by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC).

GS II : BILATERAL -INDIA -CHINA

China offers to rename OBOR to allay Indias fears

China is prepared to consider renaming the China- Pakistan Economic Corridor

(CPEC) if it would end Indias reservations over its One Belt One Road (Or Belt
and Road Initiative) passing through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Chinese

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 Ambassador to India said here, insisting that the OBOR has no connection to
sovereignty disputes.
The offer was made by Luo Zhaohui on 5 May 2017 during a closed-door interaction at
the United Services Institution, a military think-tank in Delhi.
Mr. Luo outlined a 4-point solution to manage differences between India and
China, including
1. a new treaty on cooperation,
2. restarting talks on a free trade agreement (FTA),
3. an early resolution to the border issue and
4. aligning the B&R with Indias Act East policy.
India has thus far refused to confirm or regret its attendance at Chinas Belt and
Road Forum to be held in Beijing on May 14-15.
According to the Chinese government more than 100 countries will participate, and
all SAARC countries minus India have already signed on to the 60-nation
infrastructure initiative first proposed in 2013.
No official Indian participation has been indicated so far.

GS III: SECURITY
2,000-strong CoBRA force for Sukma

The CRPF will soon deploy a fresh squad of about 2,000 commandos from its
special guerrilla warfare CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action)
battalions in and around the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh to defang the Maoists
and their arsenal.

CoBRA (COmmando Battalion for Resolute Action)

It is a specialised unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) of India proficient
in guerrilla tactics and jungle warfare.
Originally established to counter the Naxalite problem, CoBRA is deployed to
address any insurgent group engaging in asymmetrical warfare.
Currently numbering ten battalions, CoBRA is ranked among one of India's more
experienced and successful law enforcement units.

GS II : BILATERAL -INDIA - PALESTINE

India can play great role in peace efforts

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will arrive in India on 13 May 2017, and will
hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a visit aimed at strengthening
old ties, Palestines envoy to India Adnan Abu Alhaija said here.

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 He will be travelling to Delhi from Moscow after meeting Russian President Vladmir
Putin, and also recently met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington.
Saying that he was keen on getting it (the Middle East peace process) done,
President Trump announced he will make his first visit to Israel and the Palestinian
Authority on May 22-23.
President Abbas visit to India also comes two months ahead of Mr. Modis visit to
Israel in the first week of July.
We will take it that Indias relations with Israel could allow Mr. Modi to speak about
the Palestinian cause and to find a solution to our problems.
(I hope) India will keep the focus on the two-state solution, a focus on (Israels) plans
to build and expand ( Jewish) settlements, and I hope they will raise the issue of
Palestinian detainees in (Israeli) jails, he added on the issues Palestine hopes will be
raised by PM Modi when he visits Israel.
Mr. Abbas, who last visited India in 2012, is expected to hold bilateral talks in Delhi
on May 16, with six MoUs being discussed for announcement after his talks with Mr.
Modi.

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GS I : GEOGRAPHY
Centre to tap MGNREGA funds to make Saraswati low again

The Centre plans to tap Rs. 48,000 crore MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) fund to recharge remnants of ancient rivers
including the mythical Saraswati in a bid to boost groundwater reserves.
Reviving such palaeochannels may not be useful for irrigation but it could improve
groundwater storage, said Ms. Bharti.
Palaeo-channels are old rivers that have dried up and filled with sediment.
Last October, a committee of hydrologists, geologists and archaeologists led by K.S.
Valdiya as part of study commissioned by the Water Resources Ministry
reported evidence on the course of the Saraswati, mentioned in the Rigveda and
Hindu mythology.
It concluded that the Sutlej river represented the western branch of the
Saraswati.
The Markanda and the Sarsuti (now called the Ton-Yamuna rivers) watered the eastern
branch of the river.
The branches met in Shatrana, 25 kilometres south of Patiala and flowed as a large
river emptying into the Rann of Kutch, the report said.
Building on this, a committee was tasked with scouting palaeo-channels across the
country.
Wherever these channels were located, the soil was generally soft and therefore, it was
easy to direct surface waters towards them and raise the water table, Ms. Bharti added.
There is greater interest to build percolation tanks and ponds that will contribute to
groundwater recharge.

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GS II : INTERNATIONAL EUROPE
After decisive win, Macron to take over on Sunday

After a resounding victory in 8 May 2017 runoff, Emmanuel Macron will be sworn
in as Frances next President at the Elysee palace on May 14, outgoing President
Francois Hollande said.
At 39, the pro-EU former investment banker will become Frances youngest-ever
President.
Mr. Macron has proposed an ambitious domestic reform agenda. He wants to ease rigid
labour laws he believes fuel high unemployment, cut state spending, improve
education in deprived areas and increase welfare protection to the self-employed.

GS II : INTERNATIONAL SRI LANKA

Ports Authority concerned over Hambantota

It is not just New Delhi or Washington that is worried about Colombos proposed deal
to sell a deep-sea port in Hambantota to a Chinese company.
Sri Lankas ports authority has fundamental concerns over the proposed deal.
While the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) appreciates the importance of foreign
investment, it would only go by the book, Mr. Ranatunga told.
We took a careful look at the [draft] agreement it violated the SLPA Act, and the
terms were not conducive to us, he said, adding that even after 10 revised drafts of the
agreement, factoring in some of SLPAs observations, many concerns remained.
The proposed deal gave sweeping powers to the Chinese company to handle
operations near the port.
After signing a framework agreement with the Sri Lankan government in December
2016, the state run China Merchants Port Holdings was expected to pay $1.12
billion for a 99-year lease, on an 80% stake in the Hambantota port.
The port, built with Chinese loans in 2010, was part of Beijings plans to create a Silk
Route across Asia.
Finalised and completed when ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa was in power, the port
was termed a white elephant by his successor government that came to power in 2015.
Government politicians negotiated a new deal and pitched it to the public as one aiming
to reduce the burden of the $8 billion-debt Sri Lanka owes China.
Colombo and Beijing also agreed to develop a 15,000- acre industrial zone near the
port, and Beijing is now willing to sign the port deal, only if land for the industrial
zone is made available.
However, locals have been resisting the project.

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http://www.marinebuzz.com/marinebuzzuploads/ChinafundsSriLankanHambantotaPortDevel
op_E42F/sri_lanka1.jpg

GS II : BILATERAL -INDIA U.S.

Centre to raise with U.S. non-tariff barriers

India is planning to take up with the Trump administration the barriers imposed
by the U.S., which are hurting Indian goods exports to that country in sectors
including agriculture, pharmaceuticals and other industrial products.
The U.S. non-tariff/Sanitary & Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) barriers include those
imposed under laws concerning bio-terrorism, child-labour, national security, Buy
America norms preferring U.S.-made items and American suppliers in U.S.,
gsovernment purchases, registration fee hikes (in sectors such as pharma), food safety as
well as animal and plant health regulations, according to the Indian Commerce
Ministry.
This issue would be on the agenda of the next India-U.S. Trade Policy Forum (TPF)
the main bilateral platform for discussing and resolving trade and investment
issues.
According to the Indian Commerce Ministry, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has
arbitrarily listed 23 items produced in India on the List of Goods Produced by Child
Labour or Forced Labour which is in effect a ban on their import.
The Ministry said Indian industry is worried as the reports that the DOL relies upon
are not always accurate.

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 The Ministry has also referred to the U.S. Government measures envisaged within an
initiative to counter potential terrorist threats to the international maritime
container trade system.
This included X-ray scanning of containers exported to U.S., a measure, the ministry
said would cause additional costs for Indian exporters across sectors.
In addition, the Ministry has cited a law (the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 of the
U.S.) allowing American manufacturers to petition for curbing imports from third
nations on national security grounds without providing proof from industry.
Indian pharmaceutical exports to the U.S. are hit by the increase in registration
fees, approval delays and low approval rates for registrations mandatory for sale of
all new drugs in the U.S.
Also, ayurveda and traditional Indian medicines are hit by the U.S. requirement of
clinical trials while the practice of traditional Indian medicine systems such as Siddha
and Unani are not allowed by the U.S. Federal Government.
On market access barriers for Indian rice, the ministry said until the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency registers, approves and fixes a tolerance level for
certain pesticide residues, Indian Basmati Rice exports will be hurt owing to import
alerts due to the presence of such pesticide residues.
The Ministry has also opposed the U.S. requirement of irradiation treatment and
inspection of mangoes prior to shipping from India.
The Ministry said this is a time consuming and costly certification process hurting the
competitiveness of Indian mangoes in the U.S. market.
Indian grapes, litchis, pomegranates, honey, marine and meat products are also
impacted by various U.S. NTBs.
Besides, the U.S. has imposed countervailing duties on Indian exports, including
those by steel and paper industries.

GS II: INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

Govt., WIPO to set up tech centres

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) and World Intellectual
Property Organisation (WIPO) have inked an agreement to set up Technology and
Innovation Support Centres (TISC), an official statement said on 8 May 2017.
The WIPOs TISC programme provides innovators in developing countries with
access to locally-based, high quality technology information and related services,
helping them to exploit their innovative potential as well as to create, protect, and
manage their intellectual property (IP) rights.
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host
institutions access to the global network, it said.

World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)

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 The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is one of the 17 specialized
agencies of the United Nations.
WIPO was created in 1967 "to encourage creative activity, to promote the protection of
intellectual property throughout the world".
WIPO currently has 189 member states, administers 26 international treaties, and is
headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
186 of the UN Members as well as the Cook Islands, Holy See and Niue are Members of
WIPO.
The Palestinians have observer status.

GS III : ENVIRONMENT BIODIVERSITY

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary hitches wagon to star tortoises

An ambitious project of the Kerala Forest Department at the Chinnar Wildlife

Sanctuary (CWS) to rehabilitate Indian star tortoises (Geochelone elegans) seized
from smugglers has turned into a major success.
This makes the CWS the only rehabilitation centre for star tortoises in the country.
The CWS is the only place in Kerala where star tortoises are known to occur in the wild.

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GS III : S&T HEALTH
Wooden filter removes toxins from water

Scientists have found a novel use for wood to remove toxic impurities from water.
Engineers at the University of Maryland in the U.S. started with a block of linden
wood, which they then soaked in palladium a metal used in cars catalytic
converters to remove pollutants from the exhaust.
In this new filter, the palladium bonds to particles of dye.
The woods natural channels, that once moved water and nutrients between the
leaves and roots, now allow the water to flow past the nanoparticles for efficient
removal of the toxic dye particles.
The water, tinted with methylene blue, slowly drips through the wood and comes out
clear.

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 EDITORIAL

9 MAY 2017

The centre holds

Emmanuel Macron's victory in the French presidential election

Emmanuel Macron successfully overcomes the French far rights most potent campaign

Emmanuel Macrons decisive victory in the French presidential election has elicited a sigh of relief
not just in his country, but in others as well. A centrist independent, the 39-year-old will be
Frances youngest President, a man who not only stopped his country from sliding into the hands of
far-right populists but showed the world that the anti-establishment momentum that powered the
victories of the Brexit camp in the U.K. and Donald Trump in the U.S. can be broken. From the far-right
perspective, France was ripe for their rise to power. There was widespread discontent among voters,
particularly among the youth, with the mainstream political elite; the economy has been struggling for
years; joblessness is high; there is deepening insecurity among the citizens in general in the wake of
multiple terror attacks. Marine Le Pen, Mr. Macrons rival, tried to turn this economic and social
insecurity into votes for her virulent brand of politics. She attacked the Paris establishment, the European
Union, economic globalisation and Frances open border policy, while being seen to be making common
cause with Mr. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In the end, she was defeated on a huge
margin, polling roughly 34% of the vote compared to Mr. Macrons 66%.

Mr. Macrons victory is remarkable in many ways. It was his first election. His party was founded just
last year and, barring a brief stint as Economy Minister in outgoing President Franois Hollandes
Cabinet, he doesnt have any administrative experience. Yet it is a sign of the crisis of mainstream
politics that this apparent weakness became his greatest strength in a tumultuous campaign marked by
sharp divisions in French society. His outsider tag helped him appeal to the anti-establishment
segments of voters, while his status quoist proposals, be it economic or labour policy reforms or
continuity in foreign policy, made him acceptable to supporters of the traditional parties. But he
has only won the battle, the war lies ahead of him. Mr. Macron takes over the reins from Mr. Hollande at

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an extremely uncertain time. It is still not clear how many seats his political start-up En Marche! may get
in next months parliamentary elections, which are traditionally dominated by the mainstream left
and right parties. If he doesnt get a majority, he will have to depend on other parties to push his
legislative agenda through the National Assembly. And it cant be overlooked that Ms. Le Pens
National Front has come a long way since 2002 when her father won only 18% of the vote in the
presidential run-off. The French far right is no more a fringe party, and commands considerable
support among sections of the working class. Mr. Macron has to find a way of tackling this growing
unrest among sections that feel marginalised; at the same time, he will have to take tough decisions to fix
the economy. Failure is not an option, as the far right still has its powder dry.

Law against torture

being humane

A law against torture should enable ratification of the Convention barring custodial excesses

Two decades after signing the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment, India is yet to ratify it. There can be little justification for such
a prolonged delay in passing legislation to give effect to the convention. In recent times there is a fresh
note of urgency attached to the need for early ratification, as the country has pending requests for the
extradition of its nationals from other countries. For, as pointed out by the Supreme Court, the
absence of a stand-alone law prohibiting torture may prevent many countries from agreeing to
Indias extradition requests. Such a law may be in the national interest, the Chief Justice of India
observed during the course of a hearing on a public interest petition seeking the enactment of an anti-
torture law in accordance with the countrys commitment. The court also noted that India was subjected
to close questioning during the Universal Periodic Review of its human rights obligations at the UN
Human Rights Council in Geneva. It cannot be forgotten that an extradition request relating to
Purulia arms drop case suspect Kim Davy failed owing to the apprehension that he may be ill-
treated in India. In an era of increasing international cooperation on criminal matters, India will be
better served if it is seen as adhering to international treaties, especially its obligations under the
Convention Against Torture, which it signed in 1997.

There may be some doubt whether India needs a fresh law to prevent and punish torture. Provisions
relating to causing hurt or grievous hurt, especially with a view to extracting a confession, criminal
intimidation and wrongful confinement already exist in the Indian Penal Code. However, the idea of
a stand-alone law ought to be ultimately seen as a more tangible way of expressing commitment to
eliminating torture. A concrete step towards enacting a law was made when the Prevention of Torture
Bill, 2010, was passed by the Lok Sabha in 2010, but it was referred to a Select Committee in the
Rajya Sabha. In its report submitted in the same year, the committee recommended exhaustive
amendments to the Bill to make it consistent with the language and intent of the Convention. Thereafter
the Bill lapsed. The government now says it has referred the matter to the Law Commission for an
authoritative view. Given the pervasive nature of custodial violence and its complex policing
requirements, the present legislative and administrative framework is obviously inadequate to prevent
torture in a country of Indias size. It is imperative that a strong law that criminalises torture,
imposes stringent punishment for it and contains liberal provisions for those suffering torture to
complain against their perpetrators, prosecute them and be compensated and rehabilitated, is
passed at the earliest.

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 9th MAY 2017

QUESTION BANK
(1 Question)

Answer questions in NOT MORE than 200 words each. Content of the answer is more
important than its length.
Links are provided for reference. You can also use the Internet fruitfully to further enhance and strengthen your
answers.

GS III: DEFENCE

1. Discuss the major provisions enshrined in the Joint Doctrine of the Indian Armed Forces 2017.
(Repeat Question from 8 May 2017 Question Bank)

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/decoding-the-doctrine/article18404994.ece
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/joint-doctrine-of-armed-forces-the-single-service-
syndrome/article18410953.ece

The Joint Doctrine, 2017 was released to the public (the first edition written in 2006 remains
classified).

Resistance to a joint command

The Joint Doctrine provides foundations for greater integration and interdependence, to
achieve higher inter-operability and compatibility within the Armed Forces.
The debate on jointness within the Indian military has been going on for almost sixty years.
As we now know Lord Mountbatten, the architect of Indias Higher Defence Organisation, was
keen to appoint a Chief of Defence and lobbied repeatedly for creation of a Joint Staff.
However, there was reluctance from Indias political and bureaucratic class that were fearful
of an empowered military.
Later, the services also resisted jointness as they privileged the autonomy afforded by the
single service approach.
It was only after the post-Kargil defence reforms in 2001 that an Integrated Defence Staff
(minus the post of the Chief of Defence Staff, or CDS) was established.
In addition, a Joint Command was established on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with the
expectation that this experiment would lead to other geographically delineated joint commands.
Global militaries are increasing converging towards joint commands (President Xi Jinping being
the latest to force this on the Chinese military.

surgical strikes
The Joint Doctrine of the Indian Armed Forces 2017, released in April, has formally embedded
surgical strikes as a part of sub-conventional operations meaning that from now on, they are
among a range of options at the militarys disposal to respond to terrorist attacks.
The more interesting aspect in the second such joint doctrine since 2006 is that the scope of
surgical strikes has been left open.

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 There is no mention of their employment being within the country or beyond its borders the
ambiguity is intended to send a message in the neighbourhood.

Special Operations Division

Further, while acknowledging that the possibility of a conventional war under a nuclear over-hang
recedes with attendant political and international compulsions, the doctrine notes that training of
Special Operations Division for execution of precision tasks needs no reiteration.
Factoring in the escalation potential of a conflict due to such actions, it states: The possibility of
sub-conventional escalating to a conventional level would be dependent on multiple influences,
principally: politically-determined conflict claims; strategic conjuncture; operational circumstance;
international pressures and military readiness.
Special Forces units will be tasked to develop area specialisation in their intended operational
theatres to achieve an optimum effect.

No-first use (NFU) and minimum credible deterrence,

The doctrine also reiterates the basic tenets of the Indian nuclear doctrine, no-first use (NFU)
and minimum credible deterrence, contrary to recent calls to revise the NFU and speculation
in the West that India would resort to a first strike.
It adds that conflict will be determined or prevented through a process of credible deterrence,
coercive diplomacy and conclusively by punitive destruction, disruption and constraint in a
nuclear environment across the Spectrum of Conflict.

Indigenization of defence equipment and technology

Another important pronouncement under the National Military Objectives is: Enable required
degree of self-sufficiency in defence equipment and technology through indigenization to
achieve desired degree of technological independence by 2035.
The various objectives open up an entire gamut of capability addition and process optimisation for
the Indian military to be able to enforce it.

Reforms awaited:
Achieving these broad objectives requires seamless synergy between the three services, a far cry in
the present circumstances.
Some of the biggest policy decisions have been stuck endlessly appointment of a Chief of
Defence Staff (CDS), formation of cyber, space and Special Forces commands and carving out
inter-service theatre commands.

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