October 15th
October 15th
• Sonam Wangchuk led a 1,000 km padyatra from Leh to Delhi, representing the
demands of Ladakh’s people.
• The protest demands democratic governance for Ladakh, either as a full state or a
Union Territory with an elected legislature, similar to Delhi and Puducherry.
• Ladakh’s population is around 3 lakhs, but its area exceeds 59,000 square km,
larger than J&K or several northeastern states.
• Wangchuk advocates for Sixth Schedule status, ensuring Autonomous District
Councils for Ladakh’s diverse communities, empowering them to preserve their
cultural identity.
SIMRAN ABLAZE ACADEMY
Sco – 226 Top Floor Sector – 36D Chandigarh 9779190222/998821046
• He promotes “ecological democracy,” opposing indiscriminate hydropower projects
while calling for sustainable development models.
• What Is the Connection to Rammanohar Lohia’s “Himalayan Policy”?
• Lohia, a political thinker, emphasized a coherent “Himalayan policy,” linking
external and internal challenges faced by Himalayan states.
• He criticized India’s foreign policy for ignoring Chinese expansionism and advocated
for democratic rights across the Himalayan region.
• Today, Wangchuk’s movement echoes Lohia’s vision of integrating the Himalayas’
needs with India’s larger governance framework.
• Moral Standpoint: Wangchuk sets a moral equation with the state, like Gandhiji did
with the British empire. He remains firm and persistent without being aggressive.
• Focus on Ecological Democracy: Wangchuk promotes a model of ecological
democracy that prioritizes land, jobs, and cultural rights for locals. He opposes
indiscriminate development projects but advocates for sustainable growth.
• Democratic Governance Demand: His primary focus is on Ladakh’s political rights,
seeking Sixth Schedule status for autonomous governance in eight districts.
• Alternative Vision: Wangchuk emphasizes a new model of development and
education, rooted in local context and wisdom, as exemplified by his 2018 Ramon
Magsaysay Award.
• Shift the Focus from Military to Human Security: The Indian state must evolve its
perspective on the Himalayas from just a military stronghold to a region rich in
biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods. Prioritizing human security is essential.
• Develop a Coherent Himalayan Policy: This policy should address the
interconnected issues of biodiversity, sustainable livelihoods, and human security.
The Indian state must recognize that the Himalayas are not just geographic but
involve the lives and cultures of the people living there.
• Incorporate Local Wisdom: The government should listen to the people of the region
to ensure sustainable, culturally sensitive development.
• Rare diseases, also known as orphan diseases, are conditions that occur
infrequently within a population.
• They are characterized by three key markers: Total number of people with the
disease, Prevalence and Availability /Non-availability of treatment options.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a rare disease as a condition that
affects a small percentage of the population, typically fewer than 1 in 1,000 to 2,000
people.
• Limited Availability: Less than 5% of rare diseases have available therapies, leaving
fewer than 1 in 10 patients with access to disease-specific care.
• High Cost: Many rare disease treatments are patented, leading to high prices due to
limited market size and high development costs.
• Pharmaceutical companies find it unprofitable to produce these drugs, further
driving up costs.
• Delays in approval processes: the National Rare Diseases Committee discussed
delays in the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approving Sarepta
Therapeutics’ medicines, leaving patients without timely access.
• Unequal Treatment Across Groups: While limited assistance is available for Group 1
and Group 2 diseases, Group 3 patients face significant financial and healthcare
barriers.
• The Health Ministry has opened a Digital Portal for Crowdfunding & Voluntary
Donations with information about patients and their rare diseases.
• Donors can choose the CoE and patient treatments they wish to support.
SIMRAN ABLAZE ACADEMY
Sco – 226 Top Floor Sector – 36D Chandigarh 9779190222/998821046
• Each CoE also has its own Rare Disease Fund, which is used with approval from its
governing authority.
• The Department of Pharmaceuticals has launched the Production Linked Incentive
(PLI) Scheme for Pharmaceuticals, offering financial incentives to selected
manufacturers for domestic production of orphan drugs.
Way Ahead
Haber-Bosch Process
Context- The Haber-Bosch process transformed agricultural practices and played a
significant role in feeding the growing global population.
• Lightning can break the N₂ bond, producing nitrogen oxides, which then combine
with water to form nitric acid (HNO₃) and nitrous acid (HNO₂), contributing reactive
nitrogen to the soil.
• However, this natural replenishment is limited.
• Certain bacteria, such as Azotobacter and Rhizobia, can fix atmospheric nitrogen,
but their contribution is insufficient to meet the demands of modern agriculture.
Concerns
Way Ahead
• Correction of Madras High Court Ruling: In January 2024, the Madras High Court
ruled that watching or downloading child pornography was not a crime. The
Supreme Court reversed this decision.
• Expanded Definition: The Supreme Court expanded the crime’s scope by making the
downloading and storing of Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM)
an offense.
• Mandate for Social Media Platforms: The judgment mandated strict accountability
for social media intermediaries to report CSEAM to law enforcement.
• Terminology Shift: It reframed “child pornography” as CSEAM, marking it as a
serious crime, not adult entertainment.
• For detailed information on Supreme Court’s Verdict on Child Sexual Exploitative
and Abuse Material (CSEAM) read this article here
• CSEAM keeps child abuse images online forever. These images revictimize children
and their families, causing ongoing harm. Many children are unaware that their
images are being used. This makes it hard to stop their exploitation.
• Legal Measures:
o Define Cybercrime: Indian laws should clearly define cybercrime and include
CSEAM as an organized crime.
o Treat AI-generated material as real: AI-generated child sexual abuse material
must be treated as equivalent to real child abuse.
o Mandate social media reporting: Platforms should report CSEAM to law
enforcement in real-time, as ordered by the Supreme Court.
• Technical Measures:
SIMRAN ABLAZE ACADEMY
Sco – 226 Top Floor Sector – 36D Chandigarh 9779190222/998821046
• Create forensic labs: India should establish domestic forensic labs with
advanced technology to handle increased reporting of CSEAM. Currently,
international agencies like Interpol flag Indian IP addresses, delaying responses.
• National Database of Offenders: Individuals prosecuted for CSEAM should be
entered into a national database and barred from jobs involving children.
• Global Measures:
o International convention: Since CSEAM is a global crime, it needs a global
solution. The UN has not addressed emerging crimes like these. An
international convention is needed, and financial institutions must help track
the money supporting child exploitation networks.
o Global database: Establish an international sex offenders’ database to
improve law enforcement cooperation globally.
• Workers at Samsung India’s Sriperumbudur plant in Tamil Nadu are protesting for
their fundamental right to form a trade union and collectively bargain for better
working conditions. They want to negotiate with the company on equal terms
through the Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU).
• The Tamil Nadu government formed a ‘workmen committee’ to address the issue.
• However, it used police force against the protesting workers, which led to
accusations of bias towards Samsung.
• Legal experts argue that the trade union should have been registered before forming
the committee.
• The Trade Unions Act, 1926 gives workers the legal right to form unions to represent
their interests.
• A minimum of seven members can apply to register a union under Section 4 of the
Act.
SIMRAN ABLAZE ACADEMY
Sco – 226 Top Floor Sector – 36D Chandigarh 9779190222/998821046
• Section 6 mandates that the Registrar should ensure the union’s rules conform to
the Act.
• The Supreme Court in B.R. Singh vs Union of India (1989) recognized union
formation as a fundamental right under Article 19(1)© of the Constitution.
• Legal restrictions under Article 19(4) can be imposed only for reasons like public
order and morality.
• Collective bargaining :
o It refers to negotiations between employees and employers to determine
working conditions and terms of employment.
o Legal Basis: Recognised by the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 and supported
by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Collective Bargaining
Convention of 1981.
• It’s Important:
• Empowerment: It allows workers to negotiate on equal terms with employers, as
seen in the Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU) protest in Tamil Nadu.
• Social Justice: The Supreme Court of India and the U.S. courts have
acknowledged its role in ensuring fair working conditions. (e.g., the Karnal
Leather Karmchari vs Liberty Footwear case).
• Legal Recognition: The refusal to bargain is considered an ‘unfair labour practice’
under both India’s 1947 Act and the U.S. Wagner Act.
• Samsung objected to the inclusion of its name in SIWU, claiming it violated the
Trademarks Act, 1999.
• However, trade unions are not business entities, and legal experts argue that this
does not infringe on trademark laws.
• The use of Samsung’s name is for identification purposes, not for business.
SIMRAN ABLAZE ACADEMY
Sco – 226 Top Floor Sector – 36D Chandigarh 9779190222/998821046
• The BHU research paper analyzed Covaxin’s long-term safety, published in Drug
Safety in May 2024.
• Small Sample Size: The study had a highly localized sample of 926 participants,
which is statistically insignificant compared to millions vaccinated across India.
• Misinterpretation of Data: The study’s claim that one-third of participants developed
AESIs (adverse events of special interest) could lead to public misinterpretation, as
this high percentage suggests significant risk without robust evidence to support
such a claim. Although the paper didn’t claim a direct causal link, its language
implied one, raising public concerns.
• ICMR criticized the study for flawed methodology and improper use of AESIs.
• Bharat Biotech filed a lawsuit against the authors, claiming it caused alarm and
vaccine hesitancy.
• Conflict of Interest: ICMR co-owns Covaxin’s patent with Bharat Biotech, raising
concerns about impartiality when criticizing the BHU study.
• Vaccine Development Role: ICMR’s National Institute of Virology provided virus
strains for Covaxin, linking it closely to the vaccine’s success. Questions about
ICMR’s impartiality were raised given its financial stakes in Covaxin’s success.
• 2021 Concerns Resurfaced: Earlier questions about ICMR’s involvement in
Covaxin’s development were raised in 2021 but subsided after the vaccine’s
success. The BHU paper’s controversy has reignited these concerns.
• ICMR’s Influence: Its criticism of the BHU study could be seen as protecting
Covaxin’s reputation rather than encouraging independent research.
Prelims Facts-
T-90 Bhishma Tank
• In a significant move towards self-reliance, the Indian Army has rolled out its first
overhauled T-90 Bhishma tank, further enhancing its operational readiness.
• T-90 Bhishma Tank is Indian Army’s main battle tank since 2003.
• It is known for its firepower, speed, and protection. With this overhaul, the tank has
become even more powerful and lethal.
• The tank is manned by a crew of three—commander, gunner, and driver—who work
in close coordination to engage and destroy targets.
• It is equipped with a 125 mm smoothbore gun, capable of firing various types of
shells.
• An anti-aircraft gun mounted on top can bring down targets within a two kilometre
range, and the tank can fire up to 800 shells per minute.
• Its compact size enables it to manoeuvre quickly through forests, mountains, and
marshy terrain at a speed of up to 60 kilometres per hour.
• It has advanced thermal sighting system, the tank can detect targets up to 8
kilometers (5 miles) away, day or night.
Tele MANAS
• Tele MANAS is now available as a comprehensive mobile platform – Tele MANAS
App – developed for the public.
• Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele MANAS) was
started by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare 2022.
SIMRAN ABLAZE ACADEMY
Sco – 226 Top Floor Sector – 36D Chandigarh 9779190222/998821046
• It seeks to function as a comprehensive, integrated, and inclusive 24×7 tele-mental
health facility.
• It aims to provide free tele-mental health services all over the country round the
clock, particularly to people in remote or underserved areas.
• Tele-MANAS will be organised in a two-tier system:
• Tier 1 comprises state Tele-MANAS cells, which include trained counsellors and
mental health specialists.
• Tier 2 will comprise specialists at the District Mental Health Programme
(DMHP)/Medical College resources for physical consultation and/or e-Sanjeevani
for audio-visual consultation.
• Currently, there are 51 operational Tele-MANAS cells functioning across all 36
States and UTs, offering services in 20 different languages.
• Another feature added to the programme this year is the video consultations facility
which will be undertaken by the mental health professionals who are taking audio
call escalations to get further information about the caller as part of history taking
and clarification.