01 March, 2019 {Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) resolution and more} 01/03/2019 – Posted in: Daily News – Tags: ,

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) resolution.

News Flash

In foreign minister’s conclave at Abu Dhabi, India asserted that Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of India and is a matter strictly internal to India.

Diplomatic Success

  • The move comes in the midst of a heightening of strains among India and Pakistan, and it sends Pakistan a solid message as Pakistan constantly tried to utilize this stage against Indian state.
  • It was in 2002 that Qatar had first proposed observer status for India at the meet, however Pakistan has consistently thwarted such a move.

Theme

This year’s theme is “50 years of Islamic cooperation: The road map for prosperity and development”.

Kashmir Conflict

The origins of the Kashmir conflict lie in British supreme withdrawal from the subcontinent. At independence in 1947, the disagreeable Hindu Maharaja of Kashmir was looked with intrusion by Pakistani tribesmen. He swung to India for help, marking the settlement of increase (treaty of accession) that brought Kashmir into the Indian Union. India sent troops to Kashmir thus started the war among India and Pakistan.

The Pakistanis were held off by Indian troops.  In 1948, they occupied one-third of Kashmir. Today, Pakistan keeps on involving that one-third and India holds the remaining two third including the Kashmir Valley.

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

  • The Organization was set up upon a decision of the summit which was held in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco on twelfth Rajab 1389 Hijra (25 September 1969) after the criminal incendiarism of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.
  • The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second biggest between legislative associations after the United Nations with an enrollment of 57 states members spread over four continents.
  • It tries to shield and secure the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting global harmony, international peace and amicability among different individuals of the world.

Source:- The Hindu

 

Safe return of wing commander under Geneva convention

News Flash

Ministry of External affairs demands Pakistan the ‘immediate return’ of wing commander Abhinandan under Geneva Convention.

Geneva Convention of 1949

The conventions are the body of international laws that regulate the conduct of armed conflict and seek to limit its effects. India ratified the conventions in 1950.

International treaties like Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols are universal bargains that contain the most vital guidelines restricting the barbarity of war. They secure individuals who don’t participate in the fighting (civilians) and the individuals who can no longer fight (injured, sick, wiped out and wrecked troops, prisoners of war).

The four conventions of 1949 build on treaties finalised in 1864, 1906 and 1929.

The Geneva Convention of 1949 comprises four treatise/ Convention:

  1. The first convention protects wounded and sick soldiers on land during war.
  2. The second protects wounded, sick and shipwrecked military personnel at sea during the war.
  3. Third applies to prisoner of war.
  4. Fourth, protection to civilians, including in occupied territories.
  • The convention mandates the parties to war to remain humane to non-combatants (non-soldiers) including civilians and medical persons.
  • The convention also mandates to remain humane to combatants no longer participating in hostilities (such as prisoners of war).

Under the third convention, prisoners are only required to give their name, rank, birth date and serial number when captured.

Important Articles of Geneva Conventions

  • Article 2 of the third of the Geneva Conventions applies to prisoners of war with provision as “all cases of declared war or of any other armed conflict which may arise between two or more of the High Contracting Parties, even if the state of war is not recognised by one of them”.
  • Article 4 defines prisoners of war as members of armed forces of a party to the conflict who have fallen into the hands of the enemy.
  • Article 5 states the provisions apply to prisoners from their capture to their release and repatriation.
  • Article 13 outlines how prisoners of war must be treated.

Source:- Indian Express

 

Forest-dwellers get a stay: Supreme Court

News Flash

Apex Court’s decision has brought relief to forest-dwellers who were undermined with expulsion from their homes. Apex court stayed with order that called for the removal of lakhs of peoples those whose land rights had been rejected under Forest Rights Act, 2006.

Court directed

Forest Survey of India (FSI) makes a satellite survey and place on record the encroachment positions and also state the positions after the eviction as far as possible.

Related case

  1. Bengaluru’s Wildlife First: ecologist community.

It was Wildlife First’s appeal that prompted the SC ousting request. This group believe that the FRA, which recognises the privileges of indigenous individuals living on forest land, is a faulty piece of legislation.

  1. Nature Conservation Foundation:

According to them, the FRA is a vital law that redresses the historically exclusionary approach that researchers took to protection and conservation. There is growing evidence that forests advantage when indigenous community are restricted in to safeguard them.

The Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006

Highlights:

  • The Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, 2005 seeks to recognise forest rights of forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes (FDSTs) who have been occupying the land before October 25, 1980.
  • An FDST nuclear family would be entitled to the land currently occupied subject to a maximum of 2.5 hectares. The land may be allocated in all forests including core areas of National Parks and Sanctuaries.
  • In core areas, an FDST would be given provisional land rights for five years, within which period he would be relocated and compensated. If the relocation does not take place within five years, he gets permanent right over the land.
  • The Bill outlines 12 forest rights which include the right to live in the forest, to self cultivate, and to use minor forest produce. Activities such as hunting and trapping are prohibited.
  • The Gram Sabha is empowered to initiate the process of determining the extent of forest rights that may be given to each eligible individual or family.

Source:- The Hindu

 

50% of country in grip of drought, Continuing depleting groundwater resources: IIT

News Flash

While managing India’s real-time drought prediction system, IIT Gandhinagar scientists says that nearly 50% of the country is currently facing drought with at least 16% falling in the “exceptional” or “extreme” category.

This constant checking framework gathers climate and precipitation information from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which is then used to simulate soil moisture and different components that contribute to drought or dry season.

Ministry of Agriculture is the nodal Ministry in respect of monitoring and managing drought conditions.

Findings

  • Parts of Jharkhand, southern Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and northern part of Tamil Nadu are under drought.
  • Arunachal Pradesh did not get good rain this year.
  • Continuing drought will further burden the already depleting groundwater resources of the country.
  • 68% of the country is prone to drought in varying degrees. 35% which receives rainfall between 750 mm and 1125 mm is considered drought prone while 33% receiving less than 750 mm is chronically drought prone.

Classification of droughts

  1. Meterological drought

It is classified based on rainfall deficiency with respect to (wrt) long term average – 25% or less is normal, 26-50% is moderate and more than 50% is severe.

  1. Hydrological drought

Arise when deficiencies of water in surface and sub-surface. Such conditions arise even in times of average (or above average) precipitation when increased usage of water diminishes the reserves.

  1. Agricultural drought

It is identified by 4 consecutive weeks of meteorological drought, weekly rainfall is 50 mm from 15/5/ to 15/10, 6 such consecutive weeks rest of the year and crop planted is 80% in kharif season.

Safeguards

  • With the enactment of the Disaster Management Act in 2005, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was set up as the apex body for Disaster Management in India.
  • The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation is mandated to coordinate relief measures necessitated by drought.
  • The National Disaster Management Cell, at the Ministry of Agriculture monitors the drought situation in different states and the resources availability.

Way Ahead

District-wise contingency plans are prepared by Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), in collaboration with State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) / Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Institutes / Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs).

Source :- The Hindu