FAST TRACK COURTS
·
The
Fast Track Special Court (FTSCs) will continue for an additional three years,
until 2026, thanks to approval from the Union Cabinet.
·
The
program was initially implemented for a single year in October 2019, but it was
extended for an additional two years until March 2023.
What is a
most optimized plan of attack Unique Court (FTSCs)?
About:
·
FTSCs
are specific courts laid out in India with the essential point of assisting the
preliminary cycle for cases connected with sexual offenses, especially those
including assault and infringement under the Assurance of Youngsters from
Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO Act).
·
The
government's recognition of the alarming frequency of sexual offenses and the
prolonged trials in regular courts, which delayed victims' access to justice,
prompted the establishment of FTSCs.
Establishment:
·
In
2018, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act was enacted by the Central Government,
which included the death penalty for rape offenders.
·
In
this way, the FTSCs were set up to guarantee the quick administration of equity
for such cases.
Scheme
Sponsored by the Center:
·
In
accordance with instructions issued by the Supreme Court of India in a suo moto
Writ Petition (Criminal), the plan to establish FTSCs was developed in August
2019 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
Ministry:
·
Implemented
by the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Department of Justice.
Accomplishments
Up to this point:
·
Thirty
States/Association Domains have partaken in the Plan, operationalizing 761
FTSCs, including 414 selective POCSO Courts, which have settled more than
1,95,000 cases.
·
These
courts assist the State and UT governments in ensuring that sexual assault
victims receive prompt justice. indeed, even in remote and distant.
What are
the Difficulties Connected with Quick Track Exceptional Court?
Insufficient infrastructure and a low rate
of disposal:
·
Because
they are typically designated rather than established as brand-new
infrastructure, special courts in India frequently face the same difficulties
as regular courts.
·
As
a result, judges are overworked and are given additional cases to handle in
addition to their current workload without the infrastructure or support staff
they require.
·
As
a result, the rate at which cases are resolved in these special courts slows
down.
·
Delhi's
FTSCs have one of the lowest disposal rates in the nation, at just 19%,
according to data from the Ministry of Law and Justice until May 2023.
Restricted
Ward:
·
Due
to their specific jurisdiction, these courts may not be able to handle cases
that are related. This can prompt defers in equity conveyance and an absence of
consistency in the utilization of regulations.
·
In
an ideal world, these specialized courts should resolve cases within a year. Be
that as it may, as of May 2023, Delhi had just discarded 1,049 cases out of a
sum of 4,369 forthcoming cases. This suggests that progress toward the goal has
been sluggish.
·
NATPOLREX-IX
·
The
ninth Public Level Contamination Reaction Exercise (NATPOLREX-IX) was directed
by the Indian Coast Gatekeeper (ICG) off Vadinar, Gujarat.
·
Invoking
provisions of the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP), the
NATPOLREX-IX achieved its objective of testing the level of preparedness and
coordination between various resource agencies to respond to a marine oil
spill.
·
Pollution
Response Vessels (PRVs), Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), indigenous Advanced
Light Helicopter Mk-III, and Dornier Aircraft designed for marine pollution
response were among the air and surface platforms deployed by the ICG.
·
In
addition, the event highlighted India's industrial prowess in terms of the
"Make in India" initiative and the "Aatmanirbhar Bharat"
vision.
·
The
Coast Guard has set up four Pollution Response Centers in Mumbai, Chennai, Port
Blair, and Vadinar in addition to creating the NOSDCP.
DECOMMISIONING OF COAL
·
India
is advancing gradually towards Cleaner Energy. However, there are concerns
regarding the dangers associated with the decommissioning of coal plants as a
result of this obvious shift toward cleaner energy sources for electricity
generation.
What are
the most recent shifts in the direction of cleaner energy?
·
Over
the past five years, financing for new coal power projects has decreased, while
financing for projects based on renewable energy sources has steadily
increased.
·
While
renewable energy generation capacity has significantly increased in India, coal
continues to dominate the energy mix.
·
Renewables
comprised 41% of the complete limit in 2022-23, denoting an increment from 32%
in 2011-12. Furthermore, renewable energy capacity has grown faster than coal
power capacity since 2017.
·
Even
though the proportion of clean energy in the electricity mix has increased to
about 23%, coal still accounts for more than 55% of India's current energy
requirements. The speed increase of this change towards greener energy is
fundamental for keep the worldwide temperature increment underneath 1.5°C.
What are
the Monetary Ramifications of Progress Towards Cleaner Energy?
Dangers
of Abandoned Resources:
·
Abandoned
resources are in danger of losing esteem and becoming liabilities because of
unexpected changes in economic situations, administrative changes, developing
purchaser inclinations, and mechanical headways.
·
Assets
that have experienced unanticipated or premature write-downs, devaluations, or
conversion to liabilities are referred to as stranded assets.
·
Banks
and other financial institutions with connections to the fossil fuel industry,
either directly or indirectly, could be put at risk by this.
Consequences
for the Economy:
·
Due
to the fact that India's coal plants are only 13 years old on average,
decommissioning them poses a significant financial risk.
·
The
majority of the loan costs associated with coal projects are borne by public
sector banks and non-banking financial institutions (NBFCs).
·
Additionally,
private banks have significantly reduced their financing for coal-fired thermal
power plants.
Vulnerabilities
in the Region:
·
State
coal power capacities in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Jharkhand each have a high
percentage of stressed assets (58 percent, 55 percent, and 27 percent,
respectively).
·
As
India moves toward environmentally friendly energy practices, this puts them at
a greater risk of suffering financial losses as a result of asset devaluation.
Way
Forward
·
State
run administrations need to make powerful arrangements and guidelines that give
lucidity and consistency to financial backers changing away from coal. Clear
rules and strong approaches can boost the shift towards sustainable power sources
while moderating dangers for partners.
·
Financial
institutions and investors can anticipate the potential effects of stranded
assets by carrying out comprehensive risk assessments, such as stress testing
and scenario planning. Better strategies for risk management and mitigation are
made possible by this proactive approach.
·
By
gradually shifting funds from assets that are dependent on fossil fuels to
projects that use renewable energy, financial institutions can increase the
diversification of their investment portfolios. This step can help meet global
sustainability goals and reduce risks associated with stranded assets.
SUGAR AND GREEN ENERGY
·
By
producing compressed biogas (CBG), India sees Pressmud, a sugar residue, as a
valuable resource for green energy production.
·
India
has overtaken Brazil as the leading sugar producer since 2021-2022,
establishing itself as a key player in the global sugar economy. In addition,
it is the world's second-largest sugar exporter.
What exactly is compressed biogas, or CBG?
·
CBG
is a gaseous renewable fuel that is good for the environment and comes from the
anaerobic breakdown of organic materials. Biomethanation, also known as
anaerobic digestion, is the process by which various organic materials, such as
food waste, animal manure, agricultural waste, sewage sludge, and other biomass
materials, are broken down by bacteria in the absence of oxygen.
·
Methane
(often exceeding 90%), carbon dioxide, traces of hydrogen sulfide, and moisture
make up the majority of the final biogas.
·
To
change over biogas into CBG, purging advances are utilized to eliminate
pollutants like carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and dampness.
·
The
purged methane gas is then compacted to a high tension, normally around 250 bar
or higher, subsequently the expression "Packed Biogas."
What is Pressmud?
About:
·
Pressmud,
also known as filter cake or press cake, is a sugar industry byproduct that has
become recognized as a valuable resource for the production of green energy.
·
This
side-effect offers Indian sugar processes a chance to create extra income by
using it as a feedstock for biogas creation through anaerobic assimilation,
prompting the making of Packed Biogas (CBG).
·
In
the absence of oxygen, bacteria use anaerobic digestion to break down organic
matter like food waste, wastewater biosolids, and animal manure.
·
Ordinarily,
the yield of pressmud goes from 3-4 % by weight with the info sugarcane handled
in a unit.
Note
·
Pressmud
can possibly yield roughly 460,000 tons of CBG, esteemed at Rs 2,484 crore,
taking into account the base ensured cost set by the focal government's
Economical Option Towards Reasonable Transportation scheme(SATA)
Benefits of Pressmud Use for CBG Creation:
·
Less Intricacies: Consistent quality, ease of sourcing, and fewer complications are among
its advantages over other feedstocks.
·
Worked
on Production network: It takes out the intricacies related with the feedstock
production network, as tracked down on account of farming buildup, where
biomass gathering apparatus is expected for collecting and total.
·
A Single Source:
The feedstock is obtained from a couple of makers or sugar factories, instead
of rural buildup, which includes different makers/ranchers inside a thin window
of 45 days of the year.
·
Quality
and Effectiveness: Consistency in quality and a higher conversion rate
necessitate less feedstock than alternatives like cattle dung.
Roughly 25 tons of pressmud are expected to deliver a lot of CBG. Cattle
dung, on the other hand, needs 50 tonnes to produce the same amount of gas.
·
Cost-effectiveness: Comparable in price to other feedstocks like cattle dung and
agricultural residue (Rs 0.4-0.6 per kilogram). Since it does not contain the
organic polymer lignin like agriresidue does, it saves money on pretreatment.
Problems Posed by Pressmud's Use:
·
Pressmud
faces difficulties, for example, raising costs, contest for use in different
enterprises, and capacity intricacies because of continuous disintegration,
requiring creative capacity arrangements.
·
As
a natural buildup, it is pursued in areas like creature feed, bioenergy
creation (for biogas or biofuels), and rural soil corrections. It may
occasionally be less readily available or more expensive for some applications
due to competition.
What is the Pressmud Production landscape like in India?
Creation Insights:
·
In
the financial year 2022-23, India's sugar creation arrived at 32.74 million
tons, producing around 11.4 million tons of pressmud.
States that grow sugarcane:
·
The
essential sugarcane-developing states, remarkably Uttar Pradesh and
Maharashtra, contribute fundamentally, covering roughly 65 % of India's
complete sugarcane development region.
·
Uttar
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar are important states that
produce sugarcane. Together, these states produce a significant amount of
sugarcane in India.