Endosulfan
10-Jan-2017: Kerala government should release entire compensation t0 Endosulfan victims
Describing the effects of Endosulfan as “devastating,” the Supreme Court directed the Kerala government to release the entire compensation to over 5,000 victims, mostly newborns, and their families in three months.
Chief Justice said, the State of Kerala can initiate legal proceedings to recover the compensation money from pesticide companies responsible for the production and sale of the highly controversial but cheap agrochemical. The apex court said the State government can also approach the Central government.
Kerala has earmarked over ₹ 180 crore for the payment of compensation to victims, some of whom are terminally ill from the effects of the pesticide which was aerially sprayed on cashew plantations adjoining habitats where the victims are located.
The State has paid cash compensation ranging from ₹ 2 lakh to ₹ 5 lakh to the victims. It said the entire rehabilitation scheme, including a multi-specialty hospital, would cost over ₹ 500 crore.
In 2011, the Supreme Court ordered the immediate ban of Endosulfan while disregarding pleas of over 150 private export companies. It had said “any decision affecting human life, or which may put an individual’s life at risk, must call for the most anxious scrutiny.”
Every industry should look into corporate social responsibility also, you cannot just look at the money. For us cost is not the only point, even if one child suffers we do not want it on our heads. We hope it is the same for you, then Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia had told the pesticide manufacturers.
Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV)
12-Jan-2017: South East Asian countries opts for fractional doses of IPV after India.
Due to global shortage of injectable inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) polio vaccine, countries in the South East Asian region have now opted for fractional doses of IPV, first adopted by India, to tackle these "challenging conditions", the World Health Organization (WHO).
On the 6th anniversary of the last case of wild polio virus in the region, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia Poonam Khetrapal Singh said that by introducing fractional doses of IPV, nations are not only saving vaccine cost but also not compromising on the protection that it provides to the children against polio.
"On the sixth anniversary of the last case of wild polio virus in the SEAR (South East Asian Region), WHO commends countries in the Region for their continued efforts to protect children against this crippling virus and maintain the region's polio-free status, despite challenging conditions.
Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) Bill, 2017
24-Jan-2017: Cabinet approves Indian Institute of Management Bill, 2017
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Indian Institute of Management(IIM) Bill, 2017, under which the IIMs would be declared as Institutions of National Importance which will enable them to grant degrees to their students.
Following are the salient features of the Bill:
- IIMs can grant degrees to their students.
- The Bill provides for complete autonomy to the Institutions, combined with adequate accountability.
- Management of these Institutions would be Board driven, with the Chairperson and Director of an Institution which will be selected by the Board.
- A greater participation of experts and alumni in the Board is amongst other important features of the Bill.
- Provision has also been made for inclusion of women and members from Scheduled Castes/Tribes in the Board.
- The Bill also provides for periodic review of the performance of Institutions by independent agencies, and placing the results of the same on public domain.
- The Annual Report of the Institutions will be placed in the Parliament and CAG will be auditing their accounts.
- There is also a provision of Coordination Forum of IIMs as an advisory body.
Background:
Indian Institutes of Management are the country's premier institutions imparting best quality education in management on globally benchmarked processes of education and training in management. IIMs are recognized as world-class management Institutions and Centers of Excellence and have brought laurels to the country. All IIMs are separate autonomous bodies registered under the Societies Act.
Being societies, IIMs are not authorized to award degrees and, hence, they have been awarding Post Graduate Diploma and Fellow Programme in Management. While these awards are treated as equivalent to MBAs and Ph.D., respectively, the equivalence is not universally acceptable, especially for the Fellow Programme.