Paper | Topics | Subject |
---|---|---|
GS-II | Higher Mortality from Cardio-Vascular Disease | |
Jurisprudence of the judicial rubber stamp | ||
GS-III | Where does India stand on plastic waste? | |
Global Liveability Index 2019 |
GS-II: Higher Mortality from Cardio-Vascular Disease.
News
Findings from the Study
Way Forward
Source: The Hindu
GS-II: Jurisprudence of the judicial rubber stamp
Background
Key Features of the Bill
Why is it being opposed?
Source: The Hindu
GS-III: Where does India stand on plastic waste?
Context
Government to pull out all the stops to cut use of plastics.
Background
On this Independence Day address, PM called for a movement to eliminate single-use plastic in India, beginning on Gandhi Jayanti (October 2).
The move is part of an ambitious drive against Single-Use Plastic (SUP), under the theme “Shramdaan”, for which a detailed plan has been worked out for ministries and departments.
The government is reported to be working on a ban on certain plastic items of common use such as carry bags, cutlery and plates under the Environment (Protection) Act, and this may be announced on October 2, well ahead of the earlier deadline of 2022.
Single-use plastic
Plastic waste management
Alternatives to Plastic
Although compostable, biodegradable or even edible plastics made from various materials such as sugarcane bagasse, corn starch, and grain flour are promoted as alternatives, these currently have limitations of scale and cost.
Some biodegradable packaging materials require specific microorganisms to be broken down, while compostable cups and plates made of polylactic acid, a popular resource derived from biomass such as corn starch, require industrial composters.
On the other hand, articles made through a different process involving potato and corn starch have done better in normal conditions, going by the experience in Britain.
Seaweed is also emerging as a choice to make edible containers.
In India, though, in the absence of robust testing and certification to verify claims made by producers, spurious biodegradable and compostable plastics are entering the marketplace.
Source: The Hindu
GS-III: Global Liveability Index 2019
News
New Delhi has dropped by six places to rank 118th on a list of the world’s most liveable cities due to increase in cases of petty crimes and poor air quality.While New Delhi registered the biggest decline in Asia, Mumbai also fell two places since last year to rank 119th on the list topped by Vienna (Austria) for the second consecutive year.
About the ranking
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) publishes an annual Global Liveability Ranking.
The EIU ranking of 140 cities is based on their scores in five broad categories stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.
Why decline in liveabilty in India?
Abuses against journalists
Rise in Crime rates
Climatic changes Several cities, such as New Delhi in India and Cairo in Egypt received substantial downgrades on their scores owing to problems linked to climate change, such as poor air quality, undesirable average temperatures and inadequate water provision,” the report said.
Constrained liveability conditions
A score between 50-60 points, which is the case for India, indicates constrained liveability conditions.
The 2018 update to the WHO Global Ambient Air Quality Database shows that New Delhi has the sixth highest annual mean concentration of fine particulate matter among cities around the world.
Companies pay a premium to employees who move to cities where living conditions are particularly difficult and there is excessive physical hardship or a notably unhealthy environment.
Source: The Hindu
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