- LAWS GOVERNING RAPE
- India has strict laws against rape, including:
- The Indian Penal Code (IPC): Defines and punishes rape with varying degrees of severity, including life imprisonment or the death penalty
- Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2013: Strengthened existing laws with stricter punishments for rape, stalking, acid attacks, and trafficking
- Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act): Protects children from sexual assault and harassment
- Support Services: One Stop Centres (Sakhi): Provide medical care, legal aid, counseling, and shelter to victims of violence, including rape
- Women Helpline (181): 24/7 toll-free helpline for reporting violence against women
- Measures to Reduce Incidents Public Awareness Campaigns: Initiatives to educate people about sexual violence, consent, and reporting mechanisms
- Police Training: Programs to sensitise police officers on handling rape cases with empathy and professionalism
- Fast-Track Courts: Dedicated courts to expedite rape trials and reduce backlogs
- Challenges and Concerns
- Implementation and Enforcement: Effectively implementing these safeguards across the vast and diverse country remains a challenge
- Social Stigma: Fear of social stigma and victim blaming often discourage reporting of rape
- Conviction Rates: Conviction rates in rape cases remain low, discouraging reporting and emboldening perpetrators
- What’s Being Done to Address Challenges
- Fast-Track Courts: Aiming to speed up trials and deliver justice more quickly
- Victim Protection: Focusing on witness protection and ensuring victim safety during investigations and trials
- Community Participation: Encouraging community engagement to break the silence surrounding sexual violence
- The Indian government is continuously working on improving its response to rape
- Increased reporting due to greater awareness is not necessarily a negative sign, but may indicate a more accurate picture of the problem
2. NATIONAL DAM PANEL TO EXAMINE KALESHWARAM PROJECT ON MARCH 6
- The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA)
- About the NDSA:
- Established in 2010 under the Dam Safety Act, 2001
- Functions as the apex regulatory body for dam safety in India
- Responsible for:
- Issuing guidelines for dam safety and quality assurance § Investigating dam failures/incidents
- Reviewing dam safety reports and providing technical guidance
- Promoting dam safety awareness and training
- NDSA’s Role in the Kaleshwaram Project:
- Triggered by Concerns: The Telangana government, concerned about the sinking piers at the Medigadda barrage, requested the NDSA to examine the entire Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP)
- Expert Committee Formed: The NDSA formed a five-member committee, led by J. Chandrasekhar Iyer, to conduct a thorough investigation.
- Visit and Recommendations: The committee visited the damaged Medigadda barrage and recommended releasing water to prevent further damage
- They also advised emptying other barrages for inspection.
- Report and Findings: The committee is currently conducting a comprehensive investigation, including:
- Visiting all three barrages (Medigadda, Sundilla, and Annaram)
- Examining project data, design documents, and construction quality reports
- Consulting stakeholders for a holistic understanding of the situation
- Report Submission: The committee is expected to submit its final report within four months, outlining its findings and recommendations.
- The NDSA’s investigation and report are ongoing. Until the final report is submitted, conclusive findings and recommendations regarding the project’s safety and potential issues are not available
3. ADVANCED LANDING SYSTEMS CUT FLIGHT DELAYS, BUT COME AT A COST
- Instrument Landing System (ILS)
- What it is – A precision landing aid for aircraft
- Provides guidance for landing in low visibility conditions like fog or bad weather Applications – Enhances airport operations and reduces flight delays in bad weather
- Increases safety by providing accurate guidance for landing
- Allows landings at airports with lower visibility compared to basic systems
- Drawbacks
- Costly: Installation and maintenance are expensive (around ₹100 crore installation and ₹40-50 lakh annual maintenance)
- Limited availability: Only six major airports in India have advanced ILS (CAT III B) Airline burden: Requires airlines to invest in pilot training and certification for specific technologies ILS improves air traffic management and safety but comes at a significant cost, limiting its widespread adoption
4. 170 PEOPLE EXECUTED IN ATTACKS ON BURKINA VILLAGES : PROSECUTOR
- Burkina Faso, a country in West Africa, is facing escalating jihadist violence, particularly in the northern and eastern regions
- What are the sides involved?
- Jihadist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, are actively carrying out attacks against civilians and government forces
- Their motives are complex, often intertwined with religious extremism, local grievances, and competition for resources.
- Burkina Faso government: The country is currently under military rule, following a coup in 2022
- The government is struggling to contain the jihadist threat despite deploying troops and partnering with regional and international forces
- Civilians: Unfortunately, they bear the brunt of the violence, caught in the crossfire between the jihadists and the government
5. MANY OPEC + NATIONS EXTEND OIL CUTS TO BOOST PRICES
- OPEC
- Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries: Founded in 1960
- OPEC was founded in Baghdad, Iraq, by five countries namely Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.
- Its Secretarial building is located in Vienna, it also functions as the Headquarters Intergovernmental organisation: Comprises 12 member countries with significant oil reserves
- OPEC Members: Algeria, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela
- Angola’s departure from OPEC left it with 12 member, effective 1 Jan, 2024
- Other countries that left – Indonesia, Qatar, Ecuador, Aims: Coordinate oil production policies and ensure market stability
- OPEC+
- Informal alliance: Includes OPEC members and other major oil producers (e.g., Russia)
- OPEC+ Members (in addition to all OPEC members): Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, South Sudan, Sudan
- Formed in 2016: Aims to collaborate on oil production to influence global oil prices Latest Decisions
- Extended production cuts: Members agreed to extend previously announced cuts initiated in 2023, aiming to boost oil prices
- Saudi Arabia: Cuts 1 million barrels per day (bpd) in production for April-June 2024 § Russia: Cuts 471,000 bpd in the same period
- Other members: UAE, Kuwait, Iraq, and Kazakhstan follow suit with extended cuts Potential Impacts:
- Higher oil prices: The cuts aim to limit supply and potentially drive up global oil prices Increased revenue for producers: Higher prices could benefit oil-producing countries financially
- Impact on consumers: Higher oil prices can translate to increased costs for fuel and other oil-derived products, potentially impacting consumers and businesses
- Geopolitical tensions: OPEC+ decisions can have geopolitical implications, affecting relationships between oil-producing and consuming nations
- Other international news
- Shehbaz Sharif becomes Pakistan PM for second time
- Trump wins Republican vote in three States, edging toward U.S. presidential nomination U.S., Qatari, and Hamas envoys push for Gaza ceasefire from Cairo as war rages
- But sticking points remained including
- Hamas’s demand Israeli armed forces must entirely withdraw from the Gaza Strip
- Israel demanded Hamas must provide a list of all 130 remaining captives
ONE LINER
- ISRO has established its second launch pad in Tamil Nadu for launching space vehicles
- Second launch Pad – Kulasekarapatinam, Thoothukudi.
- Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV) will be launched from here. Its advantage Kulasekarapatinam is close to Equator.
