UTTARAKHAND

● Depleting Forest Cover & Rising Air Pollution

In the contemporary global order more than fifty per cent of the world population is already urbanised and this figure is expected to touch 68 per cent by 2050. Alongside such high margin of industrialisation and urbanisation, there has been a disproportionately massive surge in the global air pollution levels as well.

While air toxicity levels frequently reach alarming rates across most mega cities of the world, it is a dismaying reality that the top seven most polluted cities across the globe are in India. In fact about 1.2 million people die annually in India due to health complications triggered by air pollution. In 2017 New Delhi became the most polluted city in the world with the air quality index touching a whooping high of 999 as per statics rolled out by SAFAR (Systems of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting). Since then in each subsequent year, the winter months have spelt a disaster for the already existing pollution levels in north India. In September 2019 the Delhi Government announced a 25 per cent reduction in air pollution in Delhi. This came as a much needed respite to the people. However, despite the stringent moves implemented by the government like reducing stubble burning in the agricultural belts of Punjab-Haryana and the odd even road rationing scheme, once again as we stepped into the last week of October, reports of declining air quality in the states of north India started making news.

Among the most determining causes of such debilitating pollution levels across India are vehicular emissions, unregulated factory effluents, rural coal and wood burning and stubble burning practices. However most of these causes are a mere superficial starch on the face of the problem. To work towards a more sustainable and deeper solution an in-depth analysis of the issue becomes pertinent.

Air quality in several Indian cities is declining rapidly due to disruption of carbon dioxide and oxygen balance in the atmosphere.

The volume of carbon sequestration done by old trees is much higher than that done by newly planted trees. Besides, those species of trees which yield most amount of oxygen like Banyan, Mangnifera Indica or Ashoka are seldom planted as a replacement for the old ones.

The removal of existing forests has also lead to a reduction in biodiversity of the region. A shrinking tree population is the most prominent cause of heavily polluted air in Dehradun.

INTERNATIONAL

1st-ever India-Uzbekistan joint military exercise – Dustlik-2019 begins

The first-ever India-Uzbekistan joint military exercise – Dustlik-2019 will begin at Chirchiq Training Area near Tashkent.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Uzbekistan counterpart Major General Bakhodir Nizamovich Kurbanov presided over the Curtain Raiser of the military drill.

The exercise, which will focus on counter-terrorism, will continue till November 13.

During the exercise, an Indian Army contingent will train along with Uzbekistan Army.

India and Uzbekistan have signed three Memoranda of Understanding in the fields of Military Medicine and Military Education.

● The US, Bangladesh Navy exercise began in Chattogram

A naval exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2019 between the US and Bangladesh, began in Chattogram, Bangladesh, on 4 November 2019. It was announced by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wing of Bangladesh armed forces. The exercise is provided with different subject-based training and exercise.

Exercise CARAT aims to provide an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the operational activities of the US and Bangladesh navies of the two countries. The main objective of the naval exercise is to get acquainted with advanced technology through various theoretical and practical training.

Exercise CARAT is bilateral military exercises conducted by the United States Pacific Fleet every year with ASEAN member countries. Currently, the navies of Bangladesh, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Thailand participated.

The exercise aims to enhance regional cooperation, friendships, and professional skills among the countries. In 2010, Cambodia and Bangladesh became the first participants to join the exercise.

NATIONAL

Finance Minister launches IT initiatives ICEDASH, ATITHI for improved customs clearance

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled two new IT Initiatives – ICEDASH and ATITHI for improved monitoring and pace of customs clearance of imported goods and facilitating arriving international passengers.

ICEDASH is an Ease of Doing Business monitoring dashboard of the Indian Customs helping the public see the daily Customs clearance times of import cargo at various ports and airports.

The ATITHI app will facilitate hassle-free and faster clearance by Customs at the airports and enhance the experience of international tourists and other visitors at the airports.

● Mergers and acquisitions in India to remain stable

Baker McKenzie reported that in 2019, India is expected to see mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals of over $52.1 billion. Baker McKenzie released its fifth annual Global Transactions Forecast 2020. It was published jointly with Oxford Economics.

Despite various global issues, the mergers and acquisitions in India are expected to remain stable in the next few years, with private investments that will revive the backdrop of a more favorable business environment.

The reports said India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would grow by 7% through 2019-2022, whereas the global GDP average growth rate will be 2.8% for the same period.

● Centre, IBM to launch the Skills Build platform

Centre is to launch the Skills Build platform in collaboration with IBM. It was announced by the Directorate General of Training (DGT), which functions under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE).

This initiative by the Centre is aimed to help the youth to scale themselves as per the changing market trends. The government is planning to use technology effectively to benefit the public and to bring innovation in welfare schemes. The Skills Build platform initiative is a part of IBM’s global commitment that aims to create a job workforce and to build the next generation of skills needed for new collar careers.

Under the programme, a two-year advanced diploma in IT, networking, and cloud computing will be offered at the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs). The was co-created and designed by IBM.

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