CURRENT AFFAIRS 23RD JUNE
SECTION 27A OF NDPS ACT DECLARED ‘INOPERATIVE’ 2
SUICIDE WORLDWIDE IN 2019 BY WHO. 3
AUSTRALIA’S GREAT BARRIER REEF (UNESCO SITE) 4
‘JAAN HAI TO JAHAN HAI’ AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. 5
EUROPEAN UNION & INDIAN NAVY JOINT EXERCISE. 6
UNITED NATIONS PUBLIC SERVICES DAY. 6
INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC DAY OBSERVED ON 23RD JUNE. 7
SECTION 27A OF NDPS ACT DECLARED ‘INOPERATIVE’
- Recently, the Tripura High Court has discovered that an oversight in drafting the 2014 amendments to the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 had unintentionally rendered a key provision (Section 27A) of the Act inoperable.
- Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985: India is a signatory to the United Nations (UN) Single Convention on Narcotics Drugs 1961, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971 and the Convention on Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988.
- They prescribe various forms of control aimed to achieve the dual objective of limiting the use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes as well as preventing the abuse of the same.
- The basic legislative instrument of the Government of India in this regard is the NDPS Act, 1985. The Act provides stringent provisions for the control and regulation of operations relating to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
- It also provides for forfeiture of property derived from, or used in, illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. It also provides for death penalty in some cases where a person is a repeat offender. The Narcotics Control Bureau was also constituted in 1986 under the Act.
- Section 27A of the NDPS Act: The provision reads that whoever indulges in financing, directly or indirectly, any of the activities specified in sub-clauses (i) to (v) of clause (viiia) of section 2 or harbours any person engaged in any of the aforementioned activities.
- He shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may extend to twenty years and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than one lakh rupees but which may extend to two lakh rupees:
- Reason of Section 27A getting Inoperable: The text of the provision says that offences mentioned under Section 2 (viiia) sub-clauses i-v are punishable through Section 27A.
- However, Section 2 (viiia) sub-clauses i-v, which is supposed to be the catalog of offences, does not exist after the 2014 amendment. So, if Section 27A penalises a blank list or a non-existent provision, it can be argued that it is virtually inoperable.
(SOURCE: LIVE LAW)
SUICIDE WORLDWIDE IN 2019 BY WHO
- Recently, a report titled Suicide worldwide in 2019 was published by the World Health Organization (WHO). Suicide is defined as death caused by self-directed injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of the behavior.
- Reducing the global suicide mortality rate by a third is both, an indicator and a target (the only one for mental health) in the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But the world will not be able to reach this target.
- The Covid-19-pandemic has increased mental stress globally. However a crisis was already in place in 2019. Approximately 7,03,000 people or one in a 100, died by suicide in 2019.
- Africa, Europe and South-East Asia recorded suicide rates higher than the global average. This number was highest in the Africa region (11.2) followed by Europe (10.5) and South-East Asia (10.2). In 20 years (2000-2019), the global suicide rate had decreased by 36%.
- Suicides in India: India has the highest suicide rate in the Southeast Asian region. A total of 1,34,516 cases of suicide were reported in 2018 in India, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. While the rate of suicide was 9.9 in 2017, it increased to 10.2 in 2018.
- WHO Guidelines to Reduce Suicides: The WHO had published new LIVE LIFE guidelines to help countries reduce the global suicide mortality rate by a third by 2030.
- Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) states whoever attempts to commit suicide and does any act towards the commission of such offence, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine or both.
(SOURCE: DOWN TO EARTH MAGAZINE)
AUSTRALIA’S GREAT BARRIER REEF (UNESCO SITE)
- Recently, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee has recommended that the Australia’s Great Barrier Reef should be added to a list of “in danger” World Heritage Sites.
- It was recommended to add to the list because of the impact of climate change. Despite Reef 2050, the coral reef ecosystem has suffered three major bleaching events since 2015 due to severe marine heatwaves.
- The Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan is the Australian and Queensland Government’s overarching framework for protecting and managing the Great Barrier Reef by 2050.
- When corals face stress by changes in conditions such as temperature, light, or nutrients, they expel the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae living in their tissues, causing them to turn completely white
- This phenomenon is called coral bleaching. Marine heatwave is an event of anomalous warm sea surface temperatures (SST) from several days to years.
- About Great Barrier Reef: It is the world’s most extensive and spectacular coral reef ecosystem composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands. The reef is located in the Coral Sea (North-East Coast), off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
(SOURCE: INDIAN EXPRESS)
‘JAAN HAI TO JAHAN HAI’ AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
- The Minority Affairs Minister, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi launched a nationwide “JaanHaiToJahaanHai” awareness campaign on Corona vaccination for rural and remote areas.
- The aim of this campaign is to aware people of the Corona vaccination and to crush rumours and apprehensions related to Corona vaccination.
- It has been launched by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in association with various socio-educational organizations, NGOs, and Women Self Help Groups.
- Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi urged members of Central Waqf Council, Maulana Azad Education Foundation, and other social and educational institutions to take part in this awareness campaign. India is running the world’s largest Corona vaccination drive.
EUROPEAN UNION & INDIAN NAVY JOINT EXERCISE
- In a first, the Indian Navy is participating in a joint exercise with the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR).
- Stealth frigate INS Trikand, will participate in the two-day exercise in the Gulf of Aden as it is already deployed in the region on anti-piracy operations.
- The aim of the exercise is to enhance and hone their war-fighting skills and their ability as an integrated force to promote peace, security and stability in the maritime domain.
- Along with the Indian Navy, other naval forces are from Italy, Spain and France. The naval exercise included advanced air defence and anti-submarine exercises, tactical manoeuvres, Search & Rescue, and other maritime security operations.
(SOURCE: LIVE MINT)
UNITED NATIONS PUBLIC SERVICES DAY
- United Nations Public Service Day is observed globally on 23rd June every year. This day is to highlight the contribution of public service in the development process and to value public service to the community.
- This day is widely known by various public service organisations and departments around the world by organising several events to recognise the role of public servants in making developments and improvements in the community.
- LAs a part of the occasion, the Division of Public Institutions and Digital Government of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs will host a virtual event, in collaboration with the government of the United Arab Emirates, under the theme of “Innovating the Future Public Service: New Government Models for a New Era to Reach the SDGs”.
- On 20 December 2002, the United Nations General Assembly designated 23 June per annum to watch as United Nations Public Service Day by passing a resolution 57/277.
- The day marks the anniversary of the date when the International Labour Organization adopted the Convention on Labour Relations (Public Service), 1978 (No. 151) for determining the working conditions of all civil servants across the world.
(SOURCE: FIRSTPOST)
INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC DAY OBSERVED ON 23RD JUNE
- The International Olympic Day is held on June 23 each year. The day is celebrated to encourage more people to participate in the Olympic Games and spread awareness about the event and promote the Olympic Movement. Based on the three pillars – “move”, “learn” and “discover” – the National Olympic Committees are deploying sports, cultural and educational activities to encourage participation regardless of age, gender, social background, or sporting ability.
- The Olympic Day 2021 theme is “Stay healthy, stay strong, stay active with the #OlympicDay workout on 23 June.”
- History of the day: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved to observe Olympic Day in January 1948 to commemorate the creation of the International Olympic Committee on 23 June 1894.
- The creation of the modern-day Olympic Games is inspired by the ancient Olympic Games held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. The first Olympic Day was celebrated in the year 1948.
(SOURCE: JAGRAN JOSH)