AMIGOS IAS Daily Current Affairs (5^th Sept 2024)

Comparative analysis of amendments to rape law in Bengal, AP and Maharashtra

GS 2: Polity and Governance: Death Penalty for Rape

About the news

• The legislative landscape regarding rape laws has seen significant changes across several Indian states, with Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal recently passing bills to introduce the death penalty for certain rape offenses.

A comparative overview of the state bills

West Bengal

• In response to the rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata, the West Bengal Assembly passed the Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, also known as the Aparajita Bill.
• This bill introduces mandatory death penalties in cases where the rape results in the victim’s death or leaves them in a permanent vegetative state.
• It amends provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), and the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO).

Key changes include:

• Section 64: Previously, the maximum punishment for rape was imprisonment for life. The Aparajita Bill adds “or with death” to the end of this description.
• Section 66: Death is made the mandatory punishment for rape causing the victim’s death or a persistent vegetative state, removing other potential punishments.
• Section 70: Introduces the death penalty for the gang rape of women over 18, in addition to existing provisions for minors.
• Sections 71-73: Enhances punishments for repeat offenders and violations related to victim confidentiality.
• Acid Attacks: Replaces lighter punishments with “rigorous imprisonment for life.”
• POCSO Act: Amends to include the death penalty for penetrative sexual assault.
• Special Institutions: Establishes a Special Task Force and Special Courts in every district to expedite the investigation and trial processes, with strict timelines.

• Prior to West Bengal’s legislative action, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra had also passed laws introducing the death penalty for rape. Both states amended their existing criminal laws, but these bills are still awaiting the mandatory assent of the President.
• In addition, Madhya Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh had previously introduced death penalties for the rape or gang rape of minors up to twelve years of age in 2017 and 2018, respectively, through Sections 376AA and 376DA of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

Andhra Pradesh

• In December 2019, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly passed the Disha Act – Criminal Law (Andhra Pradesh Amendment) Bill, 2019, and the Disha (Special Courts for Specified Offences against Women and Children) Bill, 2019, following the gang rape and murder of a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad.

Key features include:

• Death Penalty: Introduced for rape, gang rape, and repeat offenders. Specific provisions target minors below 16 years of age.
• Special Courts and Police Teams: Establishes Special Police Teams and Exclusive Special Courts in every district to handle crimes against women, with shortened timelines for investigations and hearings.
• Women and Children Offenders Registry: Maintains a registry with details of offenders involved in crimes against women.
• However, both Disha Bills are awaiting presidential assent.

Maharashtra

• Shakti Bill Passed in 2020, the Maharashtra Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, 2020, also introduces the death penalty for certain rape offenses and expedites judicial processes.
• Key components include:
• Death Penalty: Applied to heinous cases of acid attacks, where evidence warrants exemplary punishment, in addition to rape cases.
• POCSO Act: Amended to include the death penalty for penetrative sexual assault.
• Web Platforms: Imposes penalties on social media platforms and data providers that fail to comply with data requests from investigation officers.

• However, the Shakti Bill is also awaiting presidential assent.

Genome Mapping of Chandipura Virus

GS 3: Science and Technology: Virus

Why is it in the news?

• The Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) in Gandhinagar has mapped the genome of Chandipura Vesiculovirus (CHPV), which caused numerous encephalitis cases in Gujarat during the July-August outbreak.

About Chandipura

• Chandipura, a viral infection leading to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), is known for its rapid progression from fever and headache to severe symptoms like convulsions and coma, often resulting in death within days.
• Transmitted primarily by sandflies, the virus has no specific treatment, and past outbreaks have shown high mortality rates.

Genome mapping and its significance

• Genome mapping involves identifying gene locations on chromosomes, aiding in understanding a virus’s origin, evolution, and potential for future outbreaks.
• This process is critical for developing diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments. For instance, the early release of the Sars-CoV-2 genome was vital for COVID-19 test and vaccine development.

Findings from the research

No major change in genetic makeup:

• The genome mapping revealed that the Chandipura virus has not significantly evolved since the 2003-04 outbreak. The virus isolated from Gujarat showed only minor differences in glycoproteins compared to previous isolates and remained similar to the 2012 sample.
• The four notable mutations in the glycoprotein gene include just one amino acid change between the 2012 and 2024 strains, indicating minimal evolution and no significant pressure to escape immunity.
• This limited mutation rate suggests that the virus has not been under significant selection pressure to escape immunity, possibly because a substantial portion of the population has not developed antibodies against CHPV.
• Unlike COVID-19, CHPV does not have a vaccine, and assessing antibody levels in the population is challenging due to the lack of seroprevalence studies.

Low viral load, but deadly:

• The Cycle Threshold (Ct) values in RT-PCR tests were high, indicating a low viral load in the samples.
• Despite this low viral load, the virus still caused severe symptoms, although comparisons with data from previous outbreaks were not possible due to a lack of historical data.

Not imported from abroad:

• The genome analysis showed that the virus is closely related to strains from previous Indian outbreaks, such as those in 2003-04 and 2007.
• The current isolate differs from European and African strains, indicating that the virus responsible for the outbreak is indigenous to India and not imported from other countries.

A&N Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO) 

GS 3: Economy /Env & Biodiversity: Great Nicobar Project

Why is it in the news?

• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO) has recently come under scrutiny due to its role in a ₹72,000 crore mega infrastructure project in Great Nicobar, a sensitive and ecologically significant island.
• The project, promoted by NITI Aayog, involves the development of a trans-shipment port, a greenfield airport, a tourism and township project, and a solar and gas-based power plant.
• ANIIDCO, a relatively obscure quasi-government agency based in Port Blair, has been tasked with this major initiative.

More about the news

• Established on June 28, 1988, ANIIDCO’s original mandate was to foster balanced and environmentally friendly development by exploiting natural resources. Its activities traditionally include trading petroleum products, managing tourism resorts, and infrastructure development related to tourism and fisheries.
• Over the past three years, the corporation’s average annual turnover and profit have been ₹370 crore and ₹35 crore, respectively. Concerns have been raised about ANIIDCO’s capability to handle such a high-profile, high-risk project due to its limited history and resources.
• When appointed as the project proponent in July 2020, ANIIDCO lacked both an environment policy and an environmental governance framework. It did not have the requisite human resources to manage the project until late 2022, over two years later, when it began recruiting experts in urban planning, environmental planning, and related fields.
• The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union environment ministry had previously queried ANIIDCO about its environmental governance practices, including the absence of a corporate environment policy and an administrative system for environmental compliance. Despite these issues, the EAC granted environmental clearance in November 2022.
• Additionally, there have been conflicts of interest related to ANIIDCO’s oversight.
• In 2022, the Conservation Action Trust challenged the Stage 1 forest clearance granted by the Union Environment Ministry, highlighting that ANIIDCO’s managing director also served as the Commissioner cum Secretary of Environment and Forests for the islands.
• This dual role led to concerns about ANIIDCO evaluating its own compliance. Similar concerns arose when the Chief Secretary, who is also the chairman of ANIIDCO’s board, was involved in evaluating the project’s compliance with environmental regulations.
• Moreover, former administrators have voiced skepticism about ANIIDCO’s capacity to manage such a massive project. Lt Gen A.K. Singh, Lieutenant Governor from 2013-16, suggested that ANIIDCO might be better suited to handle the project compared to other local departments but emphasized the need for external expertise.
• Conversely, Sanat Kaul, a former chief secretary, criticized ANIIDCO’s past performance and asserted that the corporation would require substantial upgrades in staff and capabilities to handle a project of this scale effectively.

Latest ILO study links AI to dip in labour income

GS 3: Miscellaneous

About the news

• The International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) recent report, “World Employment and Social Outlook: September 2024 Update,” highlights a troubling stagnation in global labour income and a rise in inequality, attributing part of this decline to the impact of artificial intelligence (AI).
• The study, which analyzed technological innovations over the past two decades in 36 countries, found that while these innovations have boosted labour productivity and output, they have also contributed to a decreased share of labour income.
• The ILO warns that without stronger policy interventions, the decline in labour income could continue. The report emphasizes that the benefits of technological advancements need to be broadly shared to mitigate inequality.
• It also notes slow progress toward key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as their 2030 deadline approaches.
• The report reveals a 0.6 percentage point decrease in the global labour income share from 2019 to 2022, with nearly 40% of this decline occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• According to ILO Deputy Director-General, countries need to implement policies promoting equitable economic distribution, including support for freedom of association and collective bargaining, to ensure inclusive growth.

India celebrates Teachers’ Day on September 5

GS 2: Miscellaneous

About the news

• India celebrates Teachers’ Day annually on September 5 in honour of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, whose birth anniversary falls on this date.
• Radhakrishnan, a distinguished philosopher and educator, played a pivotal role in shaping modern Hindu thought and bridging the gap between Eastern and Western philosophies.
• As one of the leading figures in 20th-century Indian philosophy, Radhakrishnan was a staunch advocate of the non-dualist Advaita Vedanta tradition.
• He adeptly reinterpreted Adi Shankara’s philosophy for contemporary audiences, defending Hinduism against what he perceived as uninformed Western criticisms.
• In addition to his philosophical contributions, Radhakrishnan made significant strides in academia. By the 1920s, he had established himself as a prominent scholar, holding esteemed positions such as the King George V Chair at Calcutta University and vice-chancellor roles at Andhra University and Banaras Hindu University.
• He also served as the Spalding Chair of Eastern Religion and Ethics at Oxford University. His academic prowess earned him a knighthood in 1931.
• Radhakrishnan’s dedication to teaching and his deep personal connections with his students were well-known. He valued the teaching profession highly, often stating that “teachers should be the best minds in the country.”
• Upon becoming the Vice President and later the President of India, Radhakrishnan’s former students wished to celebrate his birthday.
• However, he declined personal celebrations and instead suggested that his birthday be used to honour teachers across the nation. This gesture marked the beginning of the tradition of celebrating Teachers’ Day on September 5.