6 new World Heritage Sites on the Tentative list

• Six of the nine sites submitted by the Archaeological Survey of India had been accepted by UNESCO for inclusion in the tentative list, which is a requirement before the final nomination of any site.
• The recently-included proposals are

1. Ganga ghats in Varanasi
2. Temples of Kancheepuram
3. Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh
4. The Maratha military architecture in Maharashtra
5. The Hire Bengal megalithic site in Karnataka and
6. Bhedaghat-Lametaghat of Narmada Valley in Madhya Pradesh.

• India has 48 sites in the Tentative list as of now. As per Operational Guidelines, 2019 of UNESCO, it is mandatory to put any monument/site on the Tentative List (TL) for one year before it is considered for the final nomination dossier. Once the nomination is done, it is sent to the World Heritage Centre (WHC).

Self-sufficiency in Edible Oils

• To achieve self-sufficiency in the production of oilseeds, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has adopted a multi-pronged strategy.
• Under the strategy, the Government of India has approved an ambitious plan for the free distribution of high yielding varieties of seeds to the farmers for the Kharif season 2021 in the form of mini-kits.
• The special Kharif programme will bring an additional 6.37 lakh hectare area under oilseeds and is likely to produce 120.26 lakh quintals of oilseeds and edible oil amounting to 24.36 lakh quintals.
• Both area and productivity enhancement has been formulated for soybean and groundnut with a focus on high yielding varieties of seeds to be provided free of cost under the National Food Security Mission (Oil Seeds and Oil Palm) Mission.

About National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm

The Government of India through the National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm has the objective to augment the availability of edible oils and reduce the import of edible oils by increasing the production and productivity of oilseeds and oil palm. To this end a multi-pronged strategy is being adopted which includes the following:

• Increasing the seed replacement ratio with focus on varietal replacement
• Increasing irrigation coverage
• Nutrient management
• Intercropping with cereals/pulses/sugarcane
• Productivity improvement and adoption of proven and climate-resilient technologies
• Area expansion through diversification of low yielding food grains.
• Targeting rice fallow areas and high potential districts
• Promotion in non-traditional states
• Encouraging mechanization
• Research projects
• Training of farmers and extension officials
• Supporting cluster demonstrations for the adoption of good agricultural practices
• Creation of 36 oilseed hubs with a focus on regional approach for larger availability of quality seeds
• Post-harvest management at farm and village level

Formation of Farmer Producer Organisations

As a result of the above efforts, the production of oilseeds has increased from 27.51 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 37.31 million tonnes in 2020-21 (2nd advance estimates), while the area has increased from 25.99 million hectares to 28.82 million hectares and yield from 1075 kg/hectares to 1295 kg/hectares during the same corresponding period.

Rajasthan govt. declares mucormycosis an epidemic

Amid the increasing instances of mucormycosis or black fungus, which is primarily affecting people recovering from COVID-19, the Rajasthan government declared it an epidemic and a notifiable disease.

• It will be mandatory for the health facilities to report every case of the disease in the State.
• The State has at present more than 100 black fungus patients, for whom a special ward has been established at the Sawai Man Singh Government Hospital here. More of these cases are being reported from Jaipur, Jodhpur, Sirohi and Kota districts.
• The notification was issued under the Rajasthan Epidemic Act, 2020.
• Mucormycosis appears as a side effect among COVID-19 patients who are put on oxygen support through liquid medical oxygen cylinders or oxygen concentrators.
• The State government has also given instructions for procurement of oxygen concentrators of good quality and ensure strict compliance with safety measures while using them.

Rajasthan govt. declares mucormycosis an epidemic

• Rajasthan, Telangana and Tamil Nadu have declared it an epidemic. Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said black fungus had claimed 90 lives in the State so far. Eight people had died of the infection in Haryana, which has reported 316 cases. Rajasthan has 100 patients, while Tamil Nadu has reported nine cases.

Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897

• The colonial government introduced the Act to tackle the epidemic of bubonic plague that had spread in the erstwhile Bombay Presidency in the 1890s.
• Using powers conferred by the Act, colonies authorities would search suspected plague cases in homes and among passengers, with forcible segregations, evacuations, and demolitions of infected places.
• In 1897, the year the law was enforced, freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak was punished with 18 months’ rigorous imprisonment after his newspapers Kesari and Mahratta admonished imperial authorities for their handling of the plague epidemic.

Provisions of the Act

The Act, which consists of four sections, aims to provide “for the better prevention of the spread of Dangerous Epidemic Diseases.”

Section 2 empowers state governments/UTs to take special measures and formulate regulations for containing the outbreak. It reads: “Power to take special measures and prescribe regulations as to dangerous epidemic disease.—

• When at any time the State Government is satisfied that the State or any part thereof is visited by, or threatened with, an outbreak of any dangerous epidemic disease, the State Government, if it thinks that the ordinary provisions of the law for the time being in force are insufficient for the purpose, may take, or require or empower any person to take, such measures and, by public notice, prescribe such temporary regulations to be observed by the public or by any person or class of persons as it shall deem necessary to prevent the outbreak of such disease or the spread thereof, and may determine in what manner and by whom any expenses incurred (including compensation if any) shall be defrayed.
• In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions, the State Government may take measures and prescribe regulations for – the inspection of persons travelling by railway or otherwise, and the segregation, in hospital, temporary accommodation or otherwise, of persons suspected by the inspecting officer of being infected with any such disease.”

Section 3 provides penalties for disobeying any regulation or order made under the Act. These are according to section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).

Section 4 gives legal protection to the implementing officers acting under the Act.

What is Mucormycosis?

• It is a serious but rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes, which is abundant in the environment.
• It mainly affects people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness.
• The types of Mucormycosis are: Rhinocerebral (Sinus and Brain), Pulmonary (Lung), Gastrointestinal, Cutaneous (Skin), and disseminated Mucormycosis.
• The transmission occurs through inhalation, inoculation, or ingestion of spores from the environment.
• Mucormycosis needs to be treated with prescription antifungal medicine. In some cases, it can require surgery.
• Mucormycosis appears as a side effect among COVID-19 patients who are put on oxygen support through liquid medical oxygen cylinders or oxygen concentrators.