National
Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021
⇒ The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, has notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, which prohibits identified single use plastic items which have low utility and high littering potential by 2022.
The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of following single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited with effect from the 1st July, 2022:
» Ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene [Thermocol] for decoration
» Plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 micron, stirrers.
Thickness of plastic carry bags:
The thickness of plastic carry bags has been increased from 50 to 75 microns from 30th September, 2021 and to 120 microns with effect from the 31st December, 2022.
This will also allow reuse of plastic carry due to increase in thickness.
4th United Nations Environment Assembly:
India is committed to take action for mitigation of pollution caused by littered Single Use Plastics. In the 4th United Nations Environment Assembly held in 2019, India had piloted a resolution on addressing single-use plastic products pollution, recognizing the urgent need for the global community to focus on this very important issue.
“IndiGau’, India’s first Cattle Genomic Chip
⇒ Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh released “IndiGau’, India’s first Cattle Genomic Chip.
Developed by:
This indigenous chip was developed by the concerted efforts of scientists of National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NAIB), Hyderabad, an autonomous institution under the aegis of the Department of Biotechnology.
Significance:
Cattle Genomic Chip has been launched for the conservation of pure varieties of indigenous cattle breeds like, Gir, Kankrej, Sahiwal, Ongole etc.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jitendra Singh said:
» IndiGau is purely indigenous and the largest cattle chip of the world. It has 11,496 markers (SNPs) more than that placed on 777K Illumina chip of US & UK breeds.
» This chip will have practical utility in the Governments schemes to achieve the goal of conservation of our own breeds with better characters and help towards doubling of farmers’ income by 2022.
Four More Ramsar Sites of India
⇒ Recently, four more wetlands from India get recognition from the Ramsar Secretariat as Ramsar sites.
There are four Ramsar sites as wetlands of international importance are:
1. Sultanpur National Park, Haryana
2. Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary, Haryana
3. Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat
4. Wadhwana Wetland, Gujarat
Read More About Four More Ramsar Sites of India
International
IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) Tourism Ministers’ virtual meeting
⇒ India organized the IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) Tourism Ministers’ virtual meeting on 12 August 2021.
Chairship:
The meeting was held under the India’s IBSA Chairship.
Objective:
India organized the IBSA Tourism Ministers’ Meeting to promote tourism cooperation among the member states and reviewed the intra IBSA Tourism cooperation.
Participants:
The Minister of Tourism of India, Shri G. Kishan Reddy; the Minister of Tourism of the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E. Mr. Gilson Machado Neto and the Deputy Minister of Tourism of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Mr. Fish Amos Mahlalela, met through video conferencing.
During virtual meeting, the Minister for Tourism, Shri G Kishan Reddy said that India has completed over 500 million doses of vaccine, making it the 2nd largest country in the world.
Highlights of the meeting:
» The IBSA Tourism Ministers’ Meeting recognized the importance of strengthening cooperation in tourism to overcome the impact of Covid 19 pandemic on the tourism sector.
» The Ministers resolved to work together to realize the full potential of IBSA countries through cooperation in the tourism sector.
» The significant aspect of the meeting was the adoption of the IBSA Tourism Ministers Joint Statement, an outcome document on cooperation and promotion for speedy recovery of travel and tourism.
» The Ministers also agreed to implement various tourism activities to be actioned by respective member countries.
About IBSA:
IBSA is a trilateral, developmental initiative between the Government of India, The Government of Federative Republic of Brazil and The Government of the Republic of South Africa to promote South-South cooperation and exchange.
Important Day
'Partition Horrors Remembrance Day'
⇒ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has said that in memory of the struggles and sacrifices of our people, 14th August will be observed as ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’.
Accordingly, the Government declared 14th August as ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’ (विभाजन विभीषिका स्मृtति दिवस) to be observed every year.
In a fitting tribute to all those who lost their lives due to the partition of the nation and were displaced from their roots, the Government has decided to observe 14th August every year as the day to commemorate their sacrifice.