The Hindu Current Affairs 19.05.

2019 1

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 The Hindu Current Affairs 19.05.2019 2

1. Ashok Lavasa pulls out of poll panel meetings on model code

Mains Paper 2: Polity
Why in News?

In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, Mr. Lavasa is learnt to have
said his various notes on the need for transparency in the recording and disclosure of
all decisions, including the minority view, had gone unheeded, “forcing me to
withdraw from participating in the deliberations on the complaints”.

Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa has reportedly recused himself from meetings
on issues concerning the model code of conduct, pending his demand for including
dissenting opinions in the fi•nal orders.

Background

 The Election Commission of India has announced dates for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls
with the country voting in seven phases from April 11 to May 19 and the with results
on May 23.
 With this the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into effect and has called
upon all parties to strictly adhere to the same.
 The code lays down a list of dos and don’ts for the political parties ahead of
elections.

What is model code of conduct?

Model code of conduct is a set of guidelines laid down by the Election Commission
to govern the conduct of political parties and candidates in the run-up to an election.

 The main aim is to ensure that the ruling party, either at the Centre or in the
states, does not misuse its official position to gain an unfair advantage in an
election.
 The Code instructs Government bodies to not to participate in any recruitment
process during the Electoral process.
 The contesting candidates and their campaigners must respect the personal life
of their rivals and should not disturb them by holding road shows or
demonstrations in front of their houses.
 The election campaign rallies and road shows must not hinder the road traffic.

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 The election Code in force hinders the government or ruling party leaders from
launching new welfare programmes like construction of roads, provision of
drinking water facilities etc. or any ribbon-cutting ceremonies.
 The Code instructs that the public spaces like meeting grounds, helipads,
government guest houses and bungalows should be equally shared among the
contesing candidates. These public spaces should not be monopolised by a few
candidates.
 On the polling day, the Code asks all party candidates to cooperate to the poll-
duty officials at the voting booths for an orderly voting process. Candidate
should not display their election symbols near and around the poll booths on
the polling day. No one should enter the booths without valid pass from the
Election Commission.
 The ruling party should not use its seat of power for the campaign purposes.
 The ruling party ministers should not make any ad-hoc appointment of officials,
which may influence the voters in favour of the party in power, the Model Code
of Conduct says.
Impact on Policy:
1. Model code of conduct stops policies which my affect the out come of the
election. In I.D. Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd. v/s. Chief Election Commissioner, the
Kerala High Court held that the object of model code of conduct is not to stop
all governmental activities but only those actions which may directly influence
a section of electors need to be prevented.
2. Exceptions: Model code of conduct allows government to implement policies
during emergencies. The election commission allowed state as well central
government to provide relief to the victims of the flash floods of
Uttarakhand just before the general elections.
2.Platelet donor helpline unveiled

Mains Paper 2: Governance | Issues relating to development & management of Social

Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources
Why in News?

India’s first platelet donor helpline was unveiled on National Dengue Day on
Thursday. Through this, families of dengue patients can access platelet donors from a
pool through a dedicated number in Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Kolkata, Bengaluru,
Hyderabad and Chennai.

Key Facts:

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 The platelet donor helpline is India’s unique platform bringing donors and
dengue patients together to help each other crowdsource platelets. It helps
patients get platelets which cannot be stored
 An initiative of Godrej HIT, dengue patients or their relatives seeking platelets
can call on the helpline number 7878782020. In 2017, Godrej established an
online community of platelet donors with an intent to build a base big enough
to save lives.
 This online donor community with the dedicated 24X7 helpline number has
now grown to 1.25 lakh registered donors.
 From less than 60,000 cases in 2009, dengue cases in India increased to
2,89,575 in 2018, an almost 500% spike, data from the Health Management
Information System 2018 said.
 A survey conducted by Godrej HIT found that 94% citizens are unaware about
the critical level of platelet count below which platelet transfusion is required
in dengue cases.

About Platelet Donation:

During platelet donation, a small portion of your blood (about 120 ml at a time), is
drawn from your arm and passed through a sophisticated cell-separating machine.
The machine collects the platelets and safely returns the remaining blood
components, along with some saline back to your body. Platelet extraction, or
collecting during donation, is also called 'platelet apheresis’.

About Dengue:

 Dengue virus which is also known as DENV, 1–4 serotypes is the reason for
Dengue.
 Infected mosquito with one of the four dengue viruses spreads or transmits
the Dengue
 These mosquitoes only bite during day time
 You can only see the effects or the symptoms after 3-14 days of the infective
bite.
 In the symptoms raising period an infected patients can transmit the Dengue
virus through mosquitoes

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 We can control and prevent Dengue with effective measures.

Indian Dengue Prevention Programes

Indian Governmment has made Directorate National Vector Borne Disease Control
Programe responsible for prevention and monitoring of dengue in India. The
Integrated disease surveillance programme also aids in monitoring and detection of
Dengue outbreak in the country.

About National Dengue Day:

National Dengue Day is an initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,
Government of India. This day is observed to spread the awareness of the deadly
disease Dengue and precaution to control it in the country. Indian Government has
taken many measures to fight against this disease and National Dengue Day is one of
them. Dengue disease has its presence across the country from Andhra Pradesh,
Assam, Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Punjab, Kerala,
and many other states.

3.26 dams hit zero water storage level

Mains Paper 3: Environment | Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation,
environmental impact assessment
Why in News?

Twenty six reservoirs in Maharashtra have reached zero storage as on May 18,
according to statistics put out by the Water Conservation department of the state
government.

Key Facts:

 The department’s website informed that water storage in Aurangabad

Division, which comprises Aurangabad, Beed, Hingoli, Parbhani and
Osmanabad districts, was 0.43 per cent as against 23.44 per cent at the same
time last year.
 The dams in these division are Paithan, Manjara, Majalgaon, Yeldari,
Siddeshwar, Lower Terna, Sina Kolegaon and Lower Dhudna, all of which have
zero storage at the moment, the department informed.

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 The storage in these dams in May last year was 34.95 per cent in Paithan,
21.24 per cent in Manjara, 17.5 per cent in Majalgaon and 52.03 per cent in
Lower Terna.
 Other dams that have hit the zero storage level as on May 18 are Kadakpurna
and Pentakli in Buldhana, Gosikhurd, Dina and Nand in Nagpur Division, Upper
Tapi Hathnur in Jalgaon, Waki, Bham, Bhavli and Punegaon in Nashik Division,
Dibhe, Ghod, Pimpalgaon Joge, Wadaj and Temghar in Pune, Bhima, Kundali
Tata and Lonavala Tata in Solapur.
 Tisgaon dam in Nashik and Totladoh in Nagpur have 0.01 and 0.08 per cent
water respectively. It said water storage in the state’s 103 large, medium and
small reservoirs stood at 11.84 per cent, against 23.73 per cent last year.

4.Tiger spotted at Goa’s only national park

Mains Paper 3: Environment | Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation,
environmental impact assessment
Why in News?

A tiger has been spotted at Goa’s only national park, Bhagwan Mahaveer National Park in South Goa,
The camera has recorded the presence of a tiger in Bhagwan Mahaveer National Park for the first time
on May 14.

About Bhagwan Mahaveer National Park :

Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park is a 240 square kilometres
(93 sq mi) protected area located in the Western Ghats of South India, in Sanguem
taluk, Goa along the eastern border with Karnataka.

This sanctuary contains pristine vegetation classified as West Coast tropical

evergreen forests, West Coast semi-evergreen forests and moist deciduous forests.
The evergreen forests are mainly seen at higher altitudes and along the river banks.
The predominant species are Terminalia, Lagerstroemia, Xylia and Dalbergia. The
forest canopy is almost closed and the availability of grass is very limited. There are
several perennial water sources in the sanctuary and the availability of water is not a
limiting factor for wildlife.

Bhagwan Mahaveer National Park and surrounding area harbors 722 species of
flowering plants in wild belonging to 492 genera and 122 families. 128 species of

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 The Hindu Current Affairs 19.05.2019 7

endemic plants either endemic to Western Ghats, Peninsular India or India occur in
the National Park. Two recently described taxa viz. Glyphochloa veldkampii M. A.
Fonseca et Janarth. and Amorphophallus commutatus (Schott) Engl. var. anmodensis
Sivad. & Jaleel are strictly restricted to the National Park. Additionally 37 species of
Pteridophytes are also found in the National Park.

About National Tiger Conservation Authority:

 It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate

Change constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act,
1972, as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers
and functions assigned to it under the said Act.
 The National Tiger Conservation Authority is set up under the Chairmanship of
the Minister for Environment and Forests.
 The Authority will have eight experts or professionals having qualifications and
experience in wildlife conservation and welfare of people including tribals, apart
from three Members of Parliament of whom two will be elected by the House of
the People and one by the Council of States.
 The Inspector General of Forests, in charge of project Tiger, will be ex-officio
Member Secretary.

5.$150 mn World Bank loan likely for Rebuild Kerala

Mains Paper 2: IR | Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure,
mandate
Why in News?

The World Bank’s upcoming talks with the Kerala government and Union
Department of Economic Affairs on 27 and 28 May in New Delhi will be to secure its
development policy loan (DPL) of $150 million for the Rebuild Kerala initiative.

Key Facts:

 The terms and the repayment conditions will be worked out for the first
tranche of the DPL

 The long-term DPL of $150 million of the World Bank is to be equally provided
by the International Development Association (IDA) and International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).
 State free to decide

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 Since the DPL is not a project-specific aid, the World Bank authorities are likely
to insist on tough conditions. Unlike in the case of projectspecific financial aid,
there will be no monitoring from the World Bank for the DPL and the State will
be free to choose the sector in which to deploy the funds.
 The aid will be made available to the State exchequer once approved and the
State can use the money for achieving targets set under the Rebuild Kerala
initiative.
 Zero or very low interest rates, long-term repayments, including a five-to-
10year grace period or moratorium, are the highlights of the DPL.
 “In fact, the DPL to be granted by the World Bank is a lottery for the State
facing a crisis. The State is also trying for the second tranche of $200 million
DPL in October
 Once the negotiations are completed, the World Bank Board has to approve
the DPL. The Bank is aiming to provide the first tranche by June end.
 The DPL to be granted by the World Bank is a lottery for the State facing a
crisis World Bank
About DPL:
Development Policy Loans (DPLs) are programmatic loans that largely fund
policy reform, often through rapidly- disbursed budgetary support, rather than
project-based physical investments. DPLs were created in 2004 by merging Sectoral
Adjustment Loans (SECALS), Structural Adjustment Loans (SALs), and other
instruments.
About World Bank:

 World Bank is one of five institutions created at Breton Woods Conference in

1944.
 The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to
developing countries for capital programs.
 It comprises of two institutions:
o International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
o International Development Association (IDA).
 Formation: July 1944.
 Headquarters: Washington DC, United States.
 Motto: Working for a World Free of Poverty.
 Membership: 189 countries (IBRD), 173 countries (IDA)
 The World Bank is one of the five components of the World Bank Group,
which is part of the United Nations system.
 World Bank Group also includes three more subsidiary organisations viz.
o International Finance Corporation (IFC),

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 The Hindu Current Affairs 19.05.2019 9

o Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and

o International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)

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