• POJK – Outrage against Pakistan’s attempt to make Gilgit Baltistan its fifth province

Key points:

1. Anger is mounting high in Pakistan occupied Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan against Islamabad’s attempt to change the political status of the occupied region.
2. Recently, Pakistan’s minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan, Ali Amin Gandapur, reignited the contentious issue of grant of provincial status to Gilgit Baltistan. He also revealed about the commencement of work on Moqpondass Special Economic Zone under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This is fuelled resentment among the people of occupied PoK and Gilgit Baltistan.
3. Gilgit-Baltistan, earlier known as Northern Areas has been governed by “Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order of 2009”, that established an electoral framework.
4. Elections have been held in the region under the Order that provides for only limited autonomy. The sudden announcement of the inclusion of Gilgit-Baltistan as the fifth province of Pakistan and underlying reasons for the same are much wider and its implications are bound to set the tone for exacerbating tensions, that is already being played out in the east along the LAC on Indo-China border.
5. Located on a strategic location, Gilgit Baltistan has a large landmass and covers an area of over 70 thousand km. The Area has been under illegal occupation of Pakistan along with a part of Kashmir that lies to its South.

(Times of India,7 October 2020) News Link

• China’s helping hand to Pak: New surface-to-air missile sites spotted in PoK

Key points:

1. China is helping Pakistan set up sites for surface-to-air missiles as troops from two armies are carrying out joint patrols in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, recent Indian intelligence reports say.
2. “The construction work for the installation of surface-to-air missile defence system was being carried out by Pakistan Army and PLA at Pauli Pir near Lasadanna Dhok of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir,” said an intelligence report.
3. The control room for the missile system is to be located at Bdel Bagh.

(India Today,7 October 2020) News Link

1. राम मंदिर के लिए तमिलनाडु से पहुंचा 613 किलो का घंटा, 10 किमी तक सुनाई देगी आवाज, निकलेगी ‘ॐ‘ की ध्वनि

Key Points:

1. राम मंदिर के लिए तमिलनाडु से चलकर अयोध्या पहुंचा 613 किलो का घंटा
2. बजने पर 10 किलोमीटर तक सुनाई देगी आवाजा, घंटे से निकलेगी ओम् की ध्वनि
3. 4500 किमी की यात्रा तय करके अयोध्या पहुंचा घंटा, 10 राज्यों से होकर गुजरा
4. तमिलनाडु की लीगल राइट काउंसिल की ओर से राम मंदिर को किया गया भेंट
5. वर्ल्ड रेकॉर्ड बना चुकी बुलेट रानी के नाम से प्रसिद्ध राजलक्ष्मी माडा रामरथ चला कर घंटे को लकर अयोध्या पहुंची हैं। तमिलनाडु की रहने वाली राजलक्ष्मी मांडा विश्व में दूसरी महिला हैं जिन्होंने 9.5 टन वजन खींचने का वर्ल्ड रेकॉर्ड बनाया है। रामराम रथ में जहां एक ओर कांस्य से बना 613 किलो वजनी विशेष घंटा रखा गया है, वहीं भगवान श्रीराम, मां सीता, लक्ष्मण, हनुमान जी के साथ गणपति की कांस्य से बनी प्रतिमाएं रख कर लाई गई हैं।
6. विशेष आकार के घंटे का वजन 613 किलो है। यह विशेष कांस्य से बना हुआ है। इसकी चौड़ाई 3.9 फीट है और इसकी हाइट 4 फीट है। राजलक्ष्मी मांडा का कहना है कि भगवान श्रीराम के रथ को वे तमिलनाडु से अयोध्या तक खुद ड्राइव करके आई हैं। उनको बहुत खुशी है कि बुधवार को वह रामलला के दरबार में इस विशेष घंटा और मूर्तियों को भेंट करेंगी। उनका कहना है कि उनका जीवन धन्य हो गया है।

(Navbharat Times, 7 October 2020) News Link

1. Inland Waterways: Environment and Coastal Livelihoods Sidelined for Modi Government’s Pet Project

Key points:

1. Over the past six years, the Modi government has actively pushed for environmental overhauls, with the latest being the draft Environmental Impact Assessment notification. While there has been a furore about the draft EIA notification, another government project has attracted the ire of activists.
2. Activists say that the adverse environmental impact due to the waterways and their intervention into the depleting fresh water systems of India deserves more attention and  scrutiny. One of the major concerns being raised is the ability of private players to surpass environmental clearances. The recently-proposed draft EIA notification puts inland waterways in Category ‘B2’ projects, which only need an Environmental Permission, with or without  appraisal and a public hearing. An expert committee of the environment ministry in 2017 recommended inland waterways to be slotted into Category A. However, this has not been done.
3. Avli Verma, a researcher at Manthan said that the project was launched with “grand claims and promises. It was claimed that national waterways were ideally suited for bulk and hazardous cargo and that these are more cost-effective and environment friendly as compared to railways or roadways. But these claims are not universal for all waterways. The development and maintenance of waterways and movement of large barges on the rivers represent massive interventions in the riverine ecosystem. Dredging, noise generated by vessels, leakage of fuel, accidental spills – all of these adversely impact the fish population, thereby directly affecting the livelihood of inland fishworkers.”

(News Click, 7 October 2020) News Link

• Future shock: The leaning towers of Najafgarh Jheel

Key points:

1. Almost 85 per cent of the world’s wetlands have disappeared owing to anthropogenic pressures. Without immediate intervention, the Najafgarh jheel too will join this ignominious list.
2. As one moves around the jheel, two narratives are evident. The Delhi side, separated by an embankment for the most part, has been earmarked in the Delhi Master Plan. No largescale construction activity is permitted in this zone.
3. However, on the Haryana side of the jheel, an altogether different story emerges. Globally, no construction activity is permitted within the High Flood Level (HFL) line attained in a water body in the last 100 years.
4. While similar views have been enunciated in the guidelines of the state environment impact assessment authority of Haryana, it omits to mention the HFL value of 212.5 metres above mean sea level (mamsl) for the jheel, as recorded by the department of irrigation and flood control of Delhi. This omission enables project proponents to affirm compliance to this clause in letter, without adhering to it in spirit.

(Down to Earth, 7 October 2020) News Link

1. SCERT conducts 2nd Webinar on NEP-2020

Key points:

1. State Council of Educational Research and Training Jammu and Kashmir conducted its 2nd Webinar on National Education Policy-2020, Challenges and Opportunities vis-à-vis J&K.
2. Both the presentations discussed the challenges and bottlenecks in implementation of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in J&K.
3. The Chairperson of the session, Prof Usha Sharma deliberated too on the topic and laid emphasis on the implementation of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy that contributes directly in transforming India into a vibrant knowledge society by providing quality education to our future generation.

(The Kashmir Images, 7 October 2020) News Link

1. NEP 2020 will be implemented in phased manner, says Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra

Key points:

1. Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra said the inclusion of national sentiments and nationalities necessary for education is being reflected in the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020.
2. Mishra said a preliminary blueprint has been prepared for implementing the new National Education Policy in the state universities. Feedback will be taken from the vice-chancellors of all universities and a three-day chancellor dialogue will be held from October 21 to 23. The new NEP approved by the Union Cabinet in July replaces the National Policy on Education framed in 1986 and is aimed at paving the way for ‘‘transformational reforms’‘ in schools and higher education systems to make India a ‘‘global knowledge superpower’‘

(Hindustan Times, 7 October 2020) News Link