- QUAKES MAY WELL SHARPEN INDIA’S SEISMIC READINES
SUBJECT: GEOGRAPHY
- India’s Seismic Readiness
- Seismic Risks:
- Himalayan fault lines active, prone to major quakes.
- Earthquake in Turkey-Syria (2023)highlighted global vulnerability.
- India’s Preparedness Measures:
- Zoning for earthquake risk(I-IV).
- Retrofitting old structures & stricter building codes.
- Disaster insurance for property owners.
- Early warning systems & collaboration with seismic research agencies.
- Policy Gap:
- Lack of long-term urban planning for earthquakes.
- Need for dedicated disaster management strategies
2. WHAT IS THE RATEST OF RARE DOCTRINE?
SUBJECT: POLITY
- Legal principle guiding the award of the death penalty in India.
- Key Cases:
- R.G. Kar Medical College Case:Life imprisonment(not rarest of rare).
- Sharon Murder Case:Death penalty awarded.
- Supreme Court Guidelines: Key Judgments:
- Bachan Singh vs State of Punjab (1980)→ Established”rarest of rare”doctrine
- Machhi Singh vs State of Punjab (1983)→ Defined conditions for death penalty:
- Extreme brutality.
- Social outrage.
- Victim is child, woman, elderly, or vulnerable.
- Mithu vs State of Punjab (1983)–Struck down mandatory death penalty for life convicts under IPC Sec 303.
- Recent Changes:
- 2022 SC Ruling:Judges must consider mitigating factors before awarding death penalty. Mandated a “meaningful hearing” before awarding the death sentence.
- Significance:Balances constitutional morality (Articles 14 & 21)with judicial discretion
3. INDIA PREPARES TO SUBMIT UPDATED GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY TO UN
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENT
- India’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory Submission to UN
- First-ever Biannual Transparency Report (BTR)under Paris Agreement (COP-21).
- Objective: Report GHG emissions, energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy adoption.
- Subject to external review by UNFCCC-accredited experts.
- Key Trends:
- 2020 GHG emissions fell by 7.93%(COVID lockdown impact).
- BTR-2024 expected to show an increase in emissions.
- India’s global emissions share:4-5%, butlow per capita emissions.
4. AGRICULTURAL PROTECTIONISM PUSHES UP INDIA’S IMPORT TARIFF
SUBJECT: ECONOMY
- India’s tariffs(17%) are5 times higher than U.S. (3.3%).
- Highest tariffs among BRICS nations(China: 7%, Brazil: 11%).
- Sectoral Impact: High tariffs on agriculture: Dairy (37.8%), Beverages (74.5%).
- Lower tariffs on industrial imports.
- Challenges: Tariffs hurt export competitiveness.
- US-India trade disputes over market access
5. INDIA, QATAR ELEVATE TIES TO STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
SUBJECT: BILATERAL
- India-Qatar Strategic Partnership
- Significance: Elevated India-Qatar relations to a “strategic partnership.”
- Key Areas of Cooperation: Trade, investment, energy, security.
- Possibility of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)between India and GCC.
- Double Taxation Avoidance Treaty signed.
- Bilateral Trade: Target to double trade to$28 billion.
- 38 Qatari entities participated in discussions.
- Security & Diplomacy: India’s stance on Israel-Palestine conflict conveyed.
- Concern over detained Indian Navy officer in Qatar.
- Indian Diaspora:
- Largest workforce in Qatar.
- ~600 Indians in Qatari prisons; 85 received pardons in 2024.
