1.  Authority of High Court Benches. 

2.  Preventive Detention. 

3.  Onion Export Ban & Associated Challenges. 

4.  Total Solar Eclipse. 

5.  South Africa to End Captive Breeding of Lions. 

6.  India is Fast Emerging World’s Cancer Capital 

1. Authority of High Court Benches

Why in News?

• The Madras High Court has restored the authority of the Madurai Bench to adjudicate on all types of Public Interest Litigation (PIL), including pan-state matters.

What is the Ruling of the Madras Court?

• Issue: A previous judgement emphasized filing PILs regarding temple interests statewide at the principal seat rather than at the Madurai Bench.
• Judgement: The recent ruling allows the Madurai Bench to hear all PILs, including those concerning the entire state.
• Legal Basis: The court referenced a 2004 presidential notification and a 2012 full Bench ruling affirming the Madurai Bench's jurisdiction.

Establishment of High Court Benches

• Article 214: Mandates a High Court for each state, with provision for benches away from the principal seat.
• Justice Jaswant Singh Commission: Explored the establishment of benches in Western Uttar Pradesh and criteria for their setup.
• Supreme Court's Position: Emphasizes rational decision-making and consensus among the State Government, Chief Justice, and Governor for bench establishment.

What is Public Interest Litigation?

• Originated in the USA, PIL is a product of judicial activism in India, pioneered by Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer and Justice P.N. Bhagwati.
• Facilitated by the relaxation of the traditional rule of ‘locus standi’.
• Defined by the Supreme Court as a legal action for the enforcement of public interest, addressing matters such as bonded labor, neglected children, and environmental pollution.

GS Paper 2: Judiciary - The note highlights the functioning and jurisdiction of High Court benches, a crucial aspect of the Indian judiciary.

GS Paper 3: Environment - Public Interest Litigation concerning environmental pollution underscores the role of PIL in environmental conservation, a significant contemporary issue.

1. Preventive Detention

Why in News?

• The Supreme Court emphasized that advisory boards under preventive detention laws should act as safeguards, preventing arbitrary use of power by the state.

What is Preventive Detention?

• Background: Originating in British colonial rule in India, laws allowing preventive detention aim to detain individuals without trial to prevent future offenses.
• Purpose: It aims to maintain state security, public order, and address foreign affairs concerns.
• Protection: Article 22 mandates the formation of advisory boards, consisting of persons qualified to be High Court judges, to review detention orders every three months.

Types of Detentions:

• Preventive Detention: Detention based on suspicion of potential criminal activity.
• Punitive Detention: Detention as punishment for a committed offense.

Safeguards Available:

• Detention period limited to 3 months initially, extendable with Advisory Board approval.
• Right to know grounds of detention, with exceptions in the public interest.
• Opportunity to challenge detention.

Relative Preventive Laws:

• Public Safety Act (PSA)
• Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substance Act (NDPS),1985
• National Security Act (NSA)

Issues Related to Preventive Detention:

• Democratic Concerns: India's extensive use of preventive detention contrasts with democratic norms.
• Extrajudicial Authority: Concerns over governments abusing laws for extrajudicial control.
• Misuse of Other Acts: Laws like UAPA may facilitate preventive detentions.
• Manipulation: Officials may misuse preventive detentions for communal control, even without public disorder.

Supreme Court on Preventive Detention:

• Ameena Begum Case, 2023: Emphasized the exceptional nature of preventive detention for emergency situations.
• Ankul Chandra Pradhan Case, 1997: Highlighted the preventive aim of detention, not punishment.

Public Order and Law & Order:

• Distinction: 'Public order' concerns the broader community, while 'law and order' deals with individual issues.
• Ram Manohar Lohia vs State of Bihar Case, 1965: Differentiated between the two, stating 'public order' affects society at large.

Way Forward:

• NCRWC Recommendations: Suggested extending the maximum detention period to six months and ensuring advisory board composition includes serving High Court judges.
• Supreme Court’s View: Urges sparing use of preventive detention, emphasizing its exceptional nature and avoiding its use for ordinary law and order issues.

GS Paper 2: Government Policies & Interventions - Addresses legal and policy aspects of preventive detention, relevant to governance and administration.

1. Onion Export Ban & Associated Challenges

Why in News?

• Indian government allows onion exports to UAE despite ongoing export ban to reduce domestic surplus.
• Concerns arise over significantly lower selling prices in UAE market compared to global prices.

Current Issue Related to Export of Onion:

• Background: Indian government banned onion exports in December 2023 to prevent domestic shortage but allowed exports to specific countries like UAE upon diplomatic requests.
• Price Gap: Indian farmers receive lower prices compared to higher prices in UAE markets, creating substantial price disparity.

Concerns Raised by Exporters:

• Lack of transparency in determining export prices and selecting exporters and importers.
• Allegations of windfall profits for importers in UAE at the expense of Indian farmers.
• Export management by National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), a government-owned body.

Concerns Raised by Onion Farmers:

• Absence of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for onion farmers.
• Price disparity between what farmers are paid and international market prices.
• Unseasonal heavy rains in March and April 2023 damaged harvested onions, leading to distressed sales.
• Frequent export bans disrupt market and affect farmers' income.

Steps Needed to Address Issues of Onion Farmers in India:

• Implement fair and transparent pricing mechanism.
• Review and revise export policies in line with international trade agreements.
• Introduce market reforms to reduce dependency on middlemen.
• Monitor export prices closely to ensure fairness.
• Deploy solar-powered dehydration units to extend shelf life of surplus onions.

International Treaties/Policies Related to Import and Export of Agricultural Products:

• WTO Agreement on Agriculture.
• Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures.
• International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).

Key Facts About Onion:

• Major producer: India ranks second globally.
• Major onion-producing states: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
• Major export destinations: Bangladesh, Malaysia, UAE, Sri Lanka, Nepal.

GS Paper 3:

Cropping Patterns, Agricultural Marketing: Addresses challenges in agricultural marketing and export policies.

Buffer Stocks & Food Security: Highlights issues related to surplus management and food security measures.

1. Total Solar Eclipse

Why in News?

• Recently, a total solar eclipse crossed North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

What is a Solar Eclipse? 

• About:
  • Occurs when the Moon moves between Earth and the Sun, blocking sunlight.
  • Different types include total, annual, partial, and hybrid solar eclipses.
• Total Solar Eclipse:
  • Moon completely covers the Sun's disk, creating darkness known as totality.
  • Sun's corona becomes visible during totality.
  • Rare and highly anticipated event.
• Annual Solar Eclipse:
  • Moon doesn't fully cover the Sun, creating a "ring of fire" effect.
  • Sun is partially obscured.
• Partial Solar Eclipse:
  • Moon partially obscures the Sun's disk.
  • Creates noticeable darkening or crescent shape on the Sun.
• Hybrid Solar Eclipse:
  • Rare transition between annular and total solar eclipse along its path.
  • Different parts of the path may experience annular or total eclipse.

How Frequently does a Solar Eclipse Occur?

• Occurs during new moon when Moon and Sun are aligned on the same side of Earth.
• Happens two to five times per year due to Moon's orbit tilt.
• Eclipse magnitude measures fraction of Sun's diameter covered by Moon.

GS Paper 1:

Important Geophysical Phenomena: Addresses solar eclipses, their types, and occurrence frequency.

Top of Form

1. South Africa to End Captive Breeding of Lions

Why in News?

• South Africa decides to halt captive breeding of lions due to concerns over trophy hunting and use of lion bones in traditional Chinese medicine, marking a significant shift in wildlife conservation.

Key Traits of Lions: 

• Subspecies:
  • African lion (Panthera leo leo) and Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica).
  • African lions mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, with 80% in eastern or southern Africa.
  • Asiatic Lions found at Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat, India.
  • Male Asiatic lions have darker, shorter manes compared to African lions, and both sexes are smaller.
• Habitat:
  • Active at night, preferring grassland, savanna, dense scrub, and open woodland.
• Social Structure:
  • Live in groups called prides consisting of related females, cubs, and a few adult males.
  • Lionesses primarily hunt, while dominant males protect the pride's territory.
• Hunting and Diet:
  • Apex predators hunting large ungulates like wildebeest, zebra, and antelope.
  • Hunt cooperatively and scavenge opportunistically.
• Threats:
  • Face threats from habitat loss, climate change, reduction of prey, and trophy hunting.
  • Trophy hunting involves killing animals for body parts kept as trophies or souvenirs.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I

Note:

• In India, Project Lion aims to conserve Asiatic lions in Gujarat through landscape ecology-based conservation.
• Gujarat government plans to translocate lions to Barda Wildlife Sanctuary as part of conservation efforts.

GS Paper 3:

Conservation: Addresses conservation efforts and threats to lion populations.

1. India is Fast Emerging World’s Cancer Capital

Context:

• India is rapidly emerging as the “cancer capital of the world,” according to the annual Health of Nation report by Apollo Hospitals.

More on News:

• Rise in NCDs in India:
  • Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like cancer, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health issues are significantly impacting India's overall health.
• About Cancer:
  • Disease where some body cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts.
• Status of Cancer Prevalence in India:
  • Around 63% of all deaths in India are due to NCDs.
  • By 2030, NCDs projected to cost India $3.55 trillion in lost economic output.
  • Cancer screening rates in India remain low compared to other countries.
• Reasons for Rise of Cancer Cases in India:
  • Smoking, alcohol use, high BMI, obesity, unhealthy diet, stress, poor oral hygiene, occupational and environmental exposures, and infections.
• Challenges with Cancer Care in India:
  • Inadequate radiotherapy facilities, lack of infrastructure and resources, and high cost of cancer drugs.
• Initiatives for Cancer Treatment and Prevention in India:
  • CAR-T cell therapy, First Cancer Care (FCC) initiative, and Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCC) scheme.

Way Forward:

• Investment in research and development, collaboration with healthcare providers, and patient assistance programs are essential for effective cancer care in India.

GS Paper - 2 (General Studies Paper 2): Understanding the healthcare system and public health challenges in India, including the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancer, is crucial for addressing policy issues related to healthcare delivery, infrastructure, and disease prevention. Initiatives for cancer treatment and prevention also align with topics related to healthcare schemes and policies.