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Pb. Current Affairs

January 7, 2020

Topic:- Environment

News:- Farm fires: State-level protest today

Context:-Area farmers’ protest under the banner of the BKU Ugrahan in front of the Bhawanigarh police station for cancellation of FIRs registered against farmers for stubble-burning continued for the fifth day today.

The farmers announced to organise a state-level protest on Tuesday as they alleged that the authorities concerned were not serious to look into their demands.

Why did farm fires happen?

Farmers burn their fields to remove plants that are already growing and to help the plants that are about to come up. These burns are often called “prescribed burns” because they are used to improve the health of the field
The short window between the harvesting of paddy and sowing of wheat along with the high cost of manual or mechanical management of straw forces farmers to set fire to their fields.

Why protest?

Farmers do not want to burn stubble, but they don’t have any alternative. But the Punjab Government is taking legal action without providing any alternative

Alternative:-

The researchers collected data about farm practices, the costs involved and the yields of crops, from previous studies, field trials and surveys. They then calculated the net profit generated by burning and no-burning practices like baling, straw incorporation into the fields, and mulching, where the straw is spread on the field. Their analysis was based on the market prices, yields, labour and other costs incurred for land preparation and crop production.
The researchers found that using the Happy Seeder led to a nearly 10-20% increase in farmer profits on average. Thus, farmers can, on average, reap a benefit of INR 11498 per hectare by switching from the most common burning practices to the use of a Happy Seeder for mulching. The machine can be mounted on a tractor, and it cuts and lifts rice straw, sows wheat into the bare soil, and deposits the straw over the planted area as mulch.
The researchers also found that the use of Happy Seeder reduced agricultural greenhouse emissions per hectare by 78% or more relative to burn options. For each hectare, all the farming options considered that does not include burning showed a lower contribution to particulate air pollution. Such practices can reduce agriculture’s contributions to India’s greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to better health by reducing air pollution, say the researchers.
However, not all farmers currently have access to equipment like Happy Seeder. “The Happy Seeder is not affordable for everyone, and there need to be more available options for renting these machines.

(Source:- The Tribune)

Topic:- Environment

News:-Set up the dilution water tank, HC tells state

Context:-Just about three months after the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the shutting down of all tanneries in Jalandhar’s Leather Complex, a Division Bench today ordered the construction of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) dilution water tank. For the purpose, Punjab will provide Rs 1.53 crore within seven days.

What is the dilution tank?

A dilution water tank is designed to collect waste that is discharged.
Tannery: -A place where animal hides are tanned; the workshop of a tanner.

(Source:- The Tribune)

Topic:- Important Personality

News:-“Fondly remember my late father Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Ji on his birth anniversary today. Having served as Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes (Narendra Mandal), he played an important role in nation-building by getting the Princely States to accede to the Indian Union” CM

About Yadavindra Singh Ji:-

Sir Yadavinder Singh About this sound pronunciation(7 January 1914 – 17 June 1974) was the 9th and last Maharaja of Patiala from 1938 to 1971. He was also an Indian cricketer who played in one Test in 1934
He served in the Patiala State Police, became its Inspector General and served in Malaya, Italy and Burma during the Second World War.
He agreed to the incorporation of the princely state into India on 5 May 1948. He was Rajpramukh of the new Indian state of Patiala and East Punjab States Union until it was merged with Punjab in 1956.

(Source:- Government Website)

Important News:-

News:- Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh today unveiled amended people-friendly Punjab Municipal Building Bye-Laws, plugging the deficiencies in the earlier provisions and seeking to give a boost to the sluggish construction and infrastructure development activity in the state.

Under the amended bylaws, parking norms have been relaxed and mixed land use has been allowed.
Local Government Minister Brahm Mohindra said the aim was to ensure hassle-free and seamless construction activity, whether of residential or commercial and industrial buildings, including hotels and mini plex cinemas.