Current Affairs 11-JAN-2024 (The Hindu)

International Labour Organization

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International Labour Organization

Establishment

• 1919 under the Treaty of Versailles
• 1946 - affiliated specialized agency of the United Nations
• Hq - Geneva, Switzerland
• 187 member states
• Aim –
  • To promote social justice and fair labor practices
  • To set labor standards, develop policies, and implement programs aimed at fostering decent work for all individuals

Organisational structure

• International Labour Conference
  • Sets international labor standards and formulates broad policies
  • International Parliament of Labour
  • Meets annually
• Governing Body
  • Executive council
  • Meets thrice a year
  • Makes policy decisions, establishes programs and budgets
• International Labour Office
  • Permanent secretariat of the ILO
  • Prepares reports under the scrutiny of the Governing Body and the leadership of the Director-General

Functions

• Creation of coordinated policies and programs aimed at solving social and labor problems.
• Ensuring the adoption of international labor standards through conventions and recommendations and monitoring their implementation.
• Assisting member states in resolving social and labor problems.
• Ensuring the protection of human rights, including the right to work, freedom of association, collective bargaining, protection against forced labor, and protection against discrimination.
• Conducting research and publishing works on social and labor issues

Practice Question – Prelims

Consider the following statements with reference to International Labor Organization:

1. ILO promotes internationally recognized human and labor rights.

2. India is a founding member of the ILO.

3. India has ratified all the eight core/fundamental ILO conventions.

How many statements given here is/are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

River Krishna

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River Krishna

General Information

• Krishna river rises in the Western Ghats.
• Altitude of 1337 m near Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra.
• It flows across the whole width of the peninsula, from west to east, for a length of about 1400 km.
• It forms a fertile delta in Andhra Pradesh before draining into the Bay of Bengal.

Drainage and Tributaries

• It extends over the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Total catchment area is more than 2.58 lakh sq km.
• Basin is roughly triangular in shape.
• Bounded by Balaghat range on the north, by the Eastern Ghats on the south and the east, and by the Western Ghats on the west.
• Right bank tributaries - Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, and Tungabadra.
• Left bank tributaries - Bhima, Musi, and Munneru.
• Tungabhadra River is the largest tributary of the Krishna River.
• Bhima river is the longest tributary.

Important Dams in Krishna River

• The most important is the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam.
• World’s largest masonry dam located in Andhra Pradesh-Telangana border.
• Other dams include:
• Almatti dam in Karnataka.
• Srisailam dam in Andhra Pradesh.
• Tungabhadra dam in Karnataka.
• Koyna river – Koyna dam is located is also a tributary of Krishna in Maharashtra.
• 1967 dam-induced earthquake - killed hundreds of people.

Practice Question – Prelims

Consider the following statements:

1. Krishna is a mighty east flowing river of peninsular India that rises from the Western Ghats in Karnataka.

2. Musi River is one of the tributaries of river Krishna.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Biodiversity Heritage Site

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Biodiversity Heritage Site

• Heritage areas with unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems, including terrestrial, coastal, inland waters, and marine ecosystems.
• BHS is designated under Section 37 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (BDA), and the State Government, in consultation with local bodies, can notify BHS.
• The first Biodiversity Heritage Site of India is the Nallur Tamarind Grove in Bengaluru, Karnataka, declared in 2007. Currently, there are 44 sites in India.

Characteristics of a BHS:

• Species richness
• High endemism
• Presence of rare and threatened species
• Keystone species
• Presence of wild ancestors of domestic species
• Areas with significant cultural, ethical, or aesthetic values

Process of Declaring a Site as BHS:

• State Biodiversity Boards (SBB) invite suggestions for the declaration of BHSs.
• Suggestions come from communities such as Gram Sabha, urban wards, forest protection committees, tribal councils, etc.
• Nodal agency: Biodiversity Management Committees.
• State Biodiversity Boards issue a preliminary notification specifying the boundaries of the BHS.
• After 30 days of the draft notification, there is a public hearing.
• No restriction on the prevailing practices and usages of the local communities in the area.

Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage Site:

• First BHS of Tamil Nadu.
• Rich biological and historical significance.
• Presence of around 250 bird species, including three flagship raptor species: Laggar Falcon, Shaheen Falcon, Bonelli’s Eagle.
• Surrounded by a chain of seven hillocks serving as a watershed.
• 72 lakes, 200 natural springs, and three check dams.
• Anaikondan Lake, built during the 16th century by Pandiyan kings.
• Contains megalithic structures, rock-cut temples, Tamil Brahmi inscriptions, and Jain beds.

Practice Question – Prelims

Consider the following pairs:

Bio-Diversity Heritage Sites

State

1. Nallur Tamarind Grove - Andhra Pradesh

2. Baramura Waterfall - Odisha

3. Amarkantak - Madhya Pradesh

4. Arittapatti - Tamil Nadu

How many pairs given above are not correctly matched?

(a) Only one pair

(b) Only two pairs

(c) Only three pairs

(d) All four pairs