25 April 2024

• International Law: The UK Supreme Court had ruled the Rwanda deportation plan unlawful; the UK government passes new legislation to override it.
• Consumer Protection: The Supreme Court of India issues show-cause notices to Patanjali for misleading health advertisements, broadening its scrutiny to all FMCG companies.
• Space: India marks the 50th anniversary of the Aryabhata satellite, launched on 19 April 1975, India's first satellite.
• Health: WHO releases the second edition of Global Sodium Benchmarks, recommending maximum sodium targets for 73 food categories.
• Environment: Denotification of part of Pulicat Bird Sanctuary (Andhra Pradesh) sparks conservation concern.

GS area: International Law, International Relations

The United Kingdom's plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda faces legal and ethical challenges. The UK government passed the Safety of Rwanda Act 2024 to enable deportation despite the Supreme Court ruling.

Key facts:

• Non-refoulement: The core principle of international refugee law. Prohibits states from returning an individual to a country where they face a serious risk of persecution or harm. Codified in Article 33 of the 1951 Refugee Convention.
• 1951 Refugee Convention: The foundational international treaty on refugee protection. Defines who is a refugee, sets out refugees' rights, and establishes the non-refoulement principle. India has not signed this convention.
• UNHCR: The UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Administers the 1951 Convention. UNHCR has opposed the Rwanda plan.
• UK Supreme Court ruling (November 2023): Found Rwanda was not a "safe third country" for asylum seekers, given human rights concerns, making deportation unlawful.
• Safety of Rwanda Act 2024: UK Parliament passed this law declaring Rwanda "safe" by statute, overriding the court ruling for the purpose of deportations. Critics argue it breaches parliamentary sovereignty principles and international law.
• India's context: India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention. India hosts Tibetan refugees (about 1 lakh), Sri Lankan Tamils (about 58,000), and recently Rohingya and Afghan refugees without a formal legal framework.

Static linkage: international law, human rights.

GS area: Governance (Consumer Protection), Polity

The Supreme Court of India issued show-cause notices to Patanjali Ayurved and its founders in April 2024 for continuing to run misleading health advertisements.

Key facts:

• Case origin: A batch of petitions filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and others, alleging Patanjali advertisements made false claims of curing diseases (diabetes, hypertension, cancer) that are banned under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.
• Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954: Prohibits advertisements claiming to cure specified diseases. Regulator: Ministry of Consumer Affairs.
• CCPA (Central Consumer Protection Authority): Established under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Issues guidelines and action against misleading ads.
• ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India): Self-regulatory body. Issues voluntary code on advertisements.
• SC's broader direction: The court directed all states and union territories to constitute committees to monitor misleading advertisements in the health sector under the authority of drug regulators.
• FMCG angle: The action also prompted scrutiny of Nestle (high-sugar baby foods), Bournvita ("health drink" label), and other companies.

Static linkage: consumer protection, governance, polity.

GS area: Science and Technology (Space)

India's first satellite, Aryabhata, was launched on 19 April 1975 from Kapustin Yar, USSR. The year 2024-25 marks its 50th anniversary.

Key facts:

• Aryabhata: India's first satellite. Built by ISRO. Launched by the Soviet Kosmos-3M rocket from Kapustin Yar, Russia, under a bilateral agreement. Named after the 5th-century Indian mathematician-astronomer.
• Mission: Carried experiments in X-ray astronomy, aeronomy, and solar physics. Operated for 5 days before a power failure.
• Significance: Laid the foundation of India's space programme. India is now one of few countries capable of independent satellite launch.
• ISRO milestones:
  • 1975: Aryabhata (first satellite)
  • 1980: Rohini (first domestic launch, SLV-3)
  • 1984: Rakesh Sharma in space (Soyuz T-11)
  • 2008: Chandrayaan-1 (Moon, confirmed water ice)
  • 2013: Mangalyaan/MOM (Mars, first attempt, first Asian country)
  • 2023: Chandrayaan-3 (first soft landing on Moon's south pole)
  • 2024: Aditya-L1 (solar observation at L1 Lagrange point)

Static linkage: science and technology, ISRO, history.

GS area: Health (Governance)

The WHO released the second edition of its Global Sodium Benchmarks, recommending maximum sodium content targets for 73 food categories.

Key facts:

• Why sodium matters: Excess sodium intake causes hypertension (high blood pressure), which is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease globally. The WHO recommends less than 5 grams of salt (2 grams of sodium) per person per day.
• Global gap: Average sodium intake is about twice the recommended level in most countries. India's average intake is approximately 8-9 grams of salt per day.
• Voluntary vs mandatory targets: The benchmarks are recommendations. Countries can adopt them voluntarily or through regulation. The FSSAI is India's relevant regulator.
• FSSAI labelling: India introduced a mandate for front-of-pack labelling (FOPL) for packaged food in draft form. A "high salt/sugar/fat" warning system is under consideration.
• India context: Salt is used in processing bread, biscuits, chips, instant noodles, and processed meats. The WHO recommendations target reformulation by the industry.

Static linkage: health, governance, consumer protection.

GS area: Environment (Protected Areas, Wetlands)

The Andhra Pradesh government's partial denotification of Pulicat Bird Sanctuary sparked conservation concern.

Key facts:

• Pulicat Lake: India's second-largest brackish lagoon (after Chilika, Odisha). Located on the Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border. Supports migratory birds including the Greater Flamingo and Spot-billed Pelican.
• Pulicat Bird Sanctuary: Part of Pulicat Lake's Andhra Pradesh portion is notified as a Bird Sanctuary under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• Denotification concern: Proposals to denotify or reduce the sanctuary's area to allow industrial development. Critics argue this violates the Wildlife Protection Act's section on denotification, which requires a High-Level Committee's review and Central government concurrence.
• Ramsar site: Pulicat Lake is a Ramsar wetland of international importance. Denotification would not remove Ramsar status but would remove domestic legal protection.
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Governs the designation and management of protected areas (national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, conservation reserves, community reserves).

Static linkage: environment, protected areas, biodiversity.

• Million Miyawaki: India planted its one-millionth Miyawaki forest patch in April 2024, following Earth Day (22 April). The Miyawaki method is a fast-growing afforestation technique developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki using native species planted at high density.
• Rohingya refugees: India's Supreme Court was hearing a petition challenging the detention of Rohingya refugees. India has argued Rohingya are "illegal migrants" under the Foreigners Act, 1946, while rights organisations argue they need protection under customary international law (non-refoulement).
• FAME-II extended: The government reportedly extended the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) Phase II scheme's PLI components for electric two-wheelers given the sector's growth trajectory.