Recovery rate of Covid 19 patients reaches 65.77 per cent

Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has said a total of 11,86,203 people have recovered from Coronavirus infection in the country so far. This takes the total recoveries to 11,86,203 and recovery rate to 65.77 per cent amongst COVID-19 patients.

With improving daily recovery number, the gap between the recovered cases and the active cases has increased to more than 6 lakh. The actual active case load is over five lakh 79 thousand and all are under medical supervision. In the past 24 hours, 40 thousand 574 recoveries were reported across the country.

The Health Ministry said, a total of 52,972 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the country in one day taking the total number of cases to 18 lakh three thousand 695. Presently, the total number of active cases in the country is five lakh 79 thousand 357. In a single day, 771 deaths were reported taking the nationwide toll to 38 thousand 135.

Govt formulates draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020

Defence Ministry has formulated a draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020 (DPEPP-2020).

The policy aims to provide impetus to self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Scheme.

The DPEPP-2020 is envisaged as overarching guiding document of Defence Ministry to provide a focused, structured and significant thrust to defence production capabilities of the country for self-reliance and exports.

AIR correspondent reports, Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020 has marked out clear goals and objectives to be undertaken by the Defence Ministry.

First and foremost amongst all is to achieve a turnover of Rs. 1 lakh 75 thousand Crore including an export of Rs. 35 thousand Crore in the Aerospace and Defence goods and services by the year 2025.

Developing a dynamic, robust and competitive Defence industry, including Aerospace and Naval Shipbuilding industry to cater to the needs of Armed forces with quality products has also been clearly laid out in the new draft policy.

The ministry has also laid emphasis on reducing dependence on imports and taking forward the Make in India initiatives through domestic designs.

Efforts will be made to create an environment that encourages Research and Development, rewards innovation, creates Indian IP ownership and promotes a robust and self-reliant defence industry.

Defence Ministry has solicited comments on the draft DPEPP-2020 policy from all stakeholders latest by 17th of August this year.

Indian National Flag

Every free nation of the world has its own flag. It is a symbol of a free country. National flags serve not only as a means of identity but also as a symbol for a country’s history and ideals. During the 1600s, as groups of people began to organize into states and nations, flags became an important way to identify a country’s territories and possessions. For its citizens, the flag grew into a symbol of pride and identity of a people and government.

Every country put an immense effort to design their flags as it is a great deal of their thoughts which reflect through country’s national flag. Colors, symbols, and layout of the design are all features that represent some principle or event that is significant to the country to which it belongs. Historically flag was originated in ancient India more than 5000 years ago and was called as Dhvaja. In the Rig Veda which is the worlds’ oldest book (4000-5000 BC), there is mention of Dhvaja hoisted on an elephant being ridden by Devraj Indra.

Flag mentioned in Rig Veda was triangular of black colour and had some inscription in white. Use of flag came into vogue all over the world after 600 BC. Indian “national” flag was hoisted first in Calcutta on August 7, 1906 by Sir Surindranath Banerjee demanding freedom for India from British rule. Independence Day, 15th August 1947, is the most significant day in India’s history, when India became one nation, despite partition, with one National Flag that was hoisted at 10:30 AM by Pandit Nehru. Pt. Nehru quoted ” a flag not only of freedom for ourselves, but a symbol of freedom for all people.”

In India, the term ‘Tricolor or Tiranga’ refers to the Indian National Flag which was designed by Pingali Venkayyaand. It is designed in such a way that reflects country’s integrity, aim for growth and peace. It is a horizontal tricolor of deep saffron (kesaria) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. The ratio of width of the flag to its length is two to three. In the centre of the white band is a navy-blue wheel which represents the chakra and it has 24 spokes. National flag of India is also the war flag of Indian Defense Forces.

Each colour of flag has different significance and purposeful meaning.

• Saffron stands for courage, sacrifice and renunciation

• White stands for truth in action and purity in thoughts

• Green is the symbol of life, abundance and prosperity

• Chakra is the symbol of progress and of movement

A few days before independence, the constitution assemble was formed to select a flag of Independent India. On 23 June 1947, the assembly created a committee headed by Rajindra Prasad and other members including Maulana Abul Kalam, Sarojni Naidu, C, Raja Gopalachari, K.M.Munsi and Dr. B.R.Ambedkar. The committee recommended that the flag of the Indian national congress should be adopted as the National Flag of India. Committee also suggested some suitable modifications so that it should be acceptable to all political parties. Its main task was to select a flag that should not be a under stone of any political party and it should reflect an image of Azaad Bharat.

The flag symbolizes freedom .On 22 July 21, 1947, Pandit Jawaharlal Lal Nehru proposed Indian National Flag at the constituent assembly as a horizontal tricolor of deep saffron, white and dark green color bands in equal proportions, with Asoka wheel (Chakra) in blue in the centre of the white band.

Nehru also presented two flags, one in Khadi-silk and the other in Khadi-cotton, to the assembly. The resolution was approved unanimously. Indian Flag, by law, is to be made of khadi. The manufacturing process and specifications for the flag are laid out by the Bureau of Indian Standards. The right to manufacture the flag is held by the Khadi Development and Village Industries Commission, who allocate it to the regional groups. As of 2009, the Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha was the sole manufacturer of the flag. Its use and display are regulated by a code. A Flag Code was outlined to maintain the dignity and honor of the National Flag. Flag code is a set of rules which need to be followed to give respect to Indian National Flag.

On January 26, 2002, the new ‘Flag Code of India2002’ was released by the Union government. According to new code the citizens of India are allowed to hoist the Indian flag over their homes, offices and factories on any day and not just National days as was the case earlier. Now Indians can proudly display the national flag anywhere and anytime, as long as the provisions of the Flag Code are strictly followed to avoid any disrespect to the tricolor.

Following are some rules and regulations of Flag Code of India 2002 :

• The National Flag may be hoisted in educational institutions (schools, colleges, sports camps, scout camps, etc.) to inspire respect for the Flag. An oath of allegiance has been included in the flag hoisting in schools.

• A member of public, a private organization or an educational institution may hoist/display the National Flag on all days and occasions, ceremonial or otherwise consistent with the dignity and honor of the National Flag.

• Section 2 of the new code accepts the right of all private citizens to fly the flag on their premises

• The flag cannot be used for communal gains, drapery, or clothes. As far as possible, it should be flown from sunrise to sunset, irrespective of the weather

• The flag cannot be intentionally allowed to touch the ground or the floor or trail in water. It cannot be draped over the hood, top, and sides or back of vehicles, trains, boats or aircraft

• No other flag or bunting can be placed higher than the flag. Also, no object, including flowers or garlands or emblems can be placed on or above the flag. The tricolour cannot be used as a festoon, rosette or bunting

The Indian National Flag represents the hopes and aspirations of the people of India. Over the last five decades, several people including members of armed forces have ungrudgingly laid down their lives to keep the tricolor flying in its full glory.

The flag should be flown at half-mast as a sign of mourning. The decision to do so lies with the President of India, who also decides the period of such mourning. When the flag is to be flown at half mast, it must first be raised to the top of the mast and then slowly lowered. Only the Indian flag is flown half mast; all other flags remain at normal height. The flag is flown half-mast nationwide on the death of the President, Vice-president or Prime Minister. On occasions of state, military, central Para-military forces funerals, the flag shall be draped over the bier or coffin with the saffron towards the head of the bier or coffin. The flag shall not be lowered into the grave or burnt in the pyre.

The Indian National Flag symbol of our national pride. Achievers feel proud to proclaim with the hoisting of the national flag when they break or make new world record for the nation. The Indian national flag was hoisted on Mt. Everest, the highest peak in the world, on May 29 1953, along with the Union Jack and the Nepalese National flag. National flag flew to space in 1984when Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma went to the space. The flag was attached as a medallion on the space suit of Rakesh Sharma. Such achievements not only bring proud feeling to the country but also spread a massive feel of inspiration among young youth.

In nutshell, to fly the national flag is a sign of pride and patriotism. It is a positive affirmation of loyalty and commitment. It marks out a country that has confidence in itself, and is comfortable with its place in the world, its history and its future.

“It will be necessary for us Indians Muslims, Christians Jews, Parsis, and all others to whom India is their home-to recognizes a common flag to live and to die for.” –Mahatma Gandhi

Indian Sweet Recipes – Tried and Tested

Rice Kheer Recipe | Chawal Ki Kheer | Indian Rice Pudding | Rice Payasam | EasyCookingWithShilpa

The Best Fudgy Brownie Recipe | Simple Way Of Making The Perfect Fudgy Brownie

0:02 / 2:08

Coconut laddoo | Easy 3 step recipe

2 Min Mug Cake Recipe – Super Soft & Rich Eggless Microwave Cakes – CookingShooking

CHOCOLATE BISCUIT PUDDING | NO BAKE, EGGLESS CHOCOLATE BANANA PUDDING| Best Biscuit Pudding Recipe

Mysore Pak – By VahChef @ VahRehVah.com

Kada Prasad कड़ा प्रसाद गुरुद्वारा वाला | Atte Ka Halwa | Kunal Kapur Recipes | Gurudwara Atta Halva

Carrot Halwa – By Vahchef @ Vahrehvah.com

Paala Kova – Under 5 mins

NETFLIX, something we are all guilty of

When’s the last time you saw a movie in theatres? How about the last time you watched a movie or show on Netflix? If you’re like most consumers, you’ve done the second thing more often. Even as movies bring in record amounts of money at the box office, Netflix grows its number of subscribers by around 10% a year and now has an estimated more than 59 million subscribers in the U.S. alone. There’s no doubt Netflix is the definitive modern media company, and its impact is felt in several industries. It’s what experts call the Netflix Effect. The habit of watching television series has greatly evolved in recent years among young adults. In the 1990s, young people dedicated much of their time to watching terrestrial television, directly broadcast by traditional television networks. Nowadays, young adults often watch series on digital platforms such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. Back in the day, you’d wait a whole week for the next episode of your favourite TV show. Now we can watch the whole series in one sitting — and many of us do. With the advent of streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, binge-watching has become the new normal. But this new habit of watching hours of back-to-back television could take a toll on us — particularly when it comes to sleep.

The Netflix Effect

People justify spending time in the evening in front of a television or computer for many reasons. A lot of people want to relieve stress from a hard day at work or just take some time to slow down for the night. Everyday households with a Netflix account can sit down in front of a television, start watching a series and escape from reality. But suddenly, hours and hours have gone by and the one episode the household sat down to watch has now become many episodes. This problem of people losing track of time while watching series television shows is being called the “Netflix Effect.” People find that they cannot just watch one episode of a show because they have to find out what happens next. Then people find that they cannot just watch one season of a show because they were left hanging and need to find out what happens next. After hours and hours have passed sitting in front of a television or computer, some households are now asking whether or not watching Netflix is a positive way to relieve stress or if it is taking up most of their free time.

According to reports, teens, adults, and even children are being impacted by the “Netflix Effect.” The disadvantages for teens who binge-watch television include slipping grades, being late to work or class, not going outside to be active thereby gaining weight, and closing themselves off from having a social life.

Netflix and Chill

Online video streaming and Netflix have become popular among college crowds. Now that I am a college student and living in a college community, I can see firsthand the effect these online streaming networks have on friends and fellow students. There is not a real definition for the term “Netflix and Chill.” The understood meaning goes something like this: invite someone of the opposite sex over, pick a random show from Netflix, start watching the show, and then…

Conclusion

In conclusion, Netflix has become something that affects many lives in many areas. This new idea of binge-watching television or online series is robbing people of valuable time that they can never get back. Average households are dealing with the “Netflix Effect” while colleges deal with the “Netflix and Chill” concept of dating, and workplaces struggle to get their employees to work. But, watching Netflix does not have to turn into something negative. Netflix can be a good stress reliever and create family fun time. It is a great source for watching movies or even catching up on some of the favorite shows. The challenge is about finding enough self-control to create a healthy balance between relaxation and wasting time. Watching Netflix, like anything, just needs to be done in moderation.

Residential Status (Section 6) of the Income Tax Act, 1961

The basis of charging income tax is the taxable income of every person. To determine taxable income, it is essential to find out residential status of the person and scope of total income. There are two types of taxpayers from residential point of view – Resident in India and Non-resident in India. Indian income is taxable in India whether the person earning income is resident or non resident. Conversely, foreign income of a person is taxable in India only if such person is resident in India. Foreign income of a non-resident is not taxable in India. Therefore, the tax liability of a person is dependent upon the residential status of a person.

RESIDENTIAL STATUS AND TAX LIABILITY (SECTION 6)

According to the residential status, the assessee can either be;

 Resident in India, or

 Non-resident in India

However, a resident individual and a resident HUF can further be classified as:

 Resident and Ordinarily resident in India (ROR) or

 Resident but not Ordinarily resident in India (RNOR).

It must be noted that only an individual or a HUF can be resident, not ordinarily resident or non resident in India. All other assesses can be either resident or non-resident in India but cannot be not ordinarily resident in the matter of their residential status for all purposes of income tax. Section 6 of the Income-tax Act prescribes the conditions to be fulfilled by various taxpayers to determine their residential status.

RESIDENTIAL STATUS OF AN INDIVIDUAL:

An individual first needs to satisfy basics condition in order to become resident in India. If a resident individual satisfies additional conditions, he becomes resident and ordinarily resident (ROR), otherwise he is resident but not ordinarily resident (RNOR).

BASIC CONDITIONS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO BE RESIDENT

Under Section 6(1) of the Income-tax Act, an individual is said to be resident in India in any previous year if he:

1. he has been in India for at least 182 days during the previous year; or,

2. he has been in India for at least sixty days (60 days) during the previous year and for at least three hundred and sixty-five days (365 days) during the four years immediately preceding the previous year.

Exceptions to above conditions

In the following two cases, second condition is not applicable, i.e., if condition (1) is satisfied then an individual is resident otherwise he will be non-resident:

i. the individual is a citizen of India, who leaves India in any previous year as a member of the crew of an Indian ship, or for the purpose of employment outside India, or

ii. the individual is a citizen of India or person of Indian origin engaged outside India (whether for rendering service outside or not) and who comes on a visit to India in the any previous year.

Therefore, in the above two exceptional cases, only the basic condition 1 needs to be checked. If it is satisfied, then the individual is treated as a resident, otherwise he will be treated as non resident.

NON-RESIDENT

If an individual does not satisfy any of the above two basic conditions then, he will be treated as non-resident.

It must be noted that the fulfilment of any one of the above conditions 1 or 2 will make an individual resident in India since both these conditions are alternative and not cumulative in their application

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO BE RESIDENT AND ORDINARY RESIDENT (ROR)

An individual may become a resident and ordinarily resident in India if he satisfies both the following conditions given u/s 6(1) besides satisfying any one of the above mentioned conditions:

1. he is a resident in atleast any two out of the ten previous years immediately preceding the relevant previous year, and

2. he has been in India for 730 days or more during the seven previous years immediately preceding the relevant previous year.

RESIDENT AND NOT ORDINARY RESIDENT (RNOR)

If a resident individual is not able to satisfy both the additional conditions, then he will be resident but not ordinary resident (RNOR).

Important Points to be considered while determining Residential Status:

The residential status of the assessee should be determined for each year separately. This is because a person resident in one year may become non-resident or not ordinarily resident in another year and vice versa.

1. The residential status of an individual for tax purposes does not depend upon his citizenship, nationality and place of birth or domicile. This is because for tax purposes, an individual may be resident in more than one country in respect of the same year.

2. The period of stay required in each of the conditions need not necessarily be continuous nor is the purpose of stay is insignificant in determining the residential status.

3. It is not required that the stay should be at the usual place of residence, business or employment of the individual. The stay may be anywhere in India and for any length of time at each place.

4. India means territory of India, its territorial waters, continental shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone (upto 200 nautical miles) and airspace above its territory and territorial waters.

5. Where the exact arrival and departure time is not available then the day he comes to India and the day he leaves India is counted as stay in India.

CRIMINALIZING MARITAL RAPE

WHAT IS MARITAL RAPE?

Marital Rape implies to unsolicited intercourse by a man with his wife misappropriated by force, intimidation of force, or bodily violence, or when she is unable to give consent. It is a non-consensual act of violent distortion by a husband against the wife where she is physically and sexually abused. Marital Rape alludes to the consummation between a man and a woman, who is lawfully acknowledged as a couple, where the woman does not give assent for such intercourse. Marriage, as examined prior is an irreproachable bond in which the man and a woman promise to live respectively in bliss just as in torment by welcome the blemishes of one another.

Despite the fact that marital rights are the most widely recognized and offensive type of masochism in the Indian culture, it is very much taken cover behind the iron drape of marriage. While the legal definition shifts, marital rape can be characterized as any undesirable intercourse or entrance misappropriated (vaginal, butt-centric, or oral) acquired forcibly, the danger of power, or when the spouse cannot assent. Regardless of the commonness of marital rape, this issue has gotten moderately little consideration from social scientists, specialists, the criminal justice system, and the bigger society all in all. The term rape has been imitated from the word rapio, which means to seize.

Marital Rape otherwise called ‘Spousal Rape’ or ‘Inmate Partner assault’ is an assault submitted by one companion against the other.[1] To comprehend the difficulties of Marital Rape one should initially comprehend the distinction between Rape and Marital Rape as both the terms have various implications and can’t be utilized reciprocally.

The marital rape exemption can be traced to statements by Sir Mathew Hale, Chief Justice in

England, during the 1600s. He wrote

“The husband cannot be guilty of a rape committed by himself upon his lawful wife, for by their mutual matrimonial consent and contract, the wife hath given herself in kind unto the

husband, whom she cannot retract.”

In the present day, studies indicate that between 10 and 14% of married women are raped by their husbands: the incidents of marital rape soars to 1/3rd to ½ among clinical samples of battered women. Sexual assault by one’s spouse accounts for approximately 25% of rapes committed. It is a conscious process of intimidation and assertion of the superiority of men over women.[2]

India, even after being advancing with a pace into the modern-day timeline haven’t criminalised marital rape. Despite amendments, law commissions and new legislation, one of the most humiliating and debilitating acts is not an offence in India.

Section 375, Indian Penal Code has provisions to rape in India, its exception clause- “Sexual intercourse by a man with his wife, the wife not being under 15 years of age, is not rape” reverberate very ancient sentiments.

VIOLATION OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

Marital rape is an extensive problem for a woman that has occurred for centuries all over the world. Regardless of this fact, marital rape has been mainly ignored in the rape and domestic violence literature’s, this problem has received comparatively little attention from social scientists, legal practitioners, the criminal justice system, and the society as a whole but after examining the need for reforms in the legal system regarding the punishment of various crimes against women and especially married women, various countries have recognized this as a crime with severe penalties.

At the very outset, a law can only stand if it is in consonance with the Indian Constitution. The dereliction in perceiving Marital Rape as criminal offence prima facie violates the fundamental rights of a woman.

Article 14^[3] of the Indian Constitution ensures the Right to Equality as a fundamental right of citizens. The Marital Rape Exception proves to be unconstitutional as contravenes the Right to Equality. The exception marks a clear dichotomy between women as wives and non-wives which ascertains as to who can bring criminal charges against a man for rape. In a male-dominant or patriarchal society of India any law concerning rights of women, being a right accessible to fewer section of women or the whole female population is exceedingly difficult and challenging to be reformed. Article 14 of Indian Constitution expresses ‘Equality before law’ but it collapses on its own provision when question comes about protection of women rights. Indian Government and the Judicial system conceal their failure to perform functions under the blanket of Customs i.e. Marriage is a sacrament. The Supreme Court in its interpretation of Article 14 held that, the classification made under this article must pass the ‘test of reasonableness’ that can only be achieved if the classification has a rational nexus to the object that the legislation in question seeks to achieve.^[4] However, this interpretation when kept in juxtaposition with Section 375 implies that the entire rationale behind Section 375 stands vanquished when the Marital Rape Exception is upheld. This is thus interpreted because the solitary intention of Section 375 is to protect the integrity and dignity of women from sexual offenders and the purpose of this section is not performed when marital rape is not acknowledged by the eyes of law.

The Indian Constitution provides Right to Life as a fundamental right to its citizens. Article 21^[5] states that “No person shall be denied of his life and personal liberty except according to the procedure established by law”. In Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India,[6] the Supreme Court

perspicuously stated, “Article 21, is not merely a physical right but it also includes within its ambit, the right to live with human dignity”. The Exception 2 of Section 375 fails to provide women the right to live with human dignity as husbands are not discouraged to engage in non-consensual sexual acts with their wives. Such iniquitous acts of the husbands take a toll on the mental health of a woman thus negating her life of dignity.

In the wake of the Maneka Gandhi judgment, the Supreme Court has incorporated various other rights under Right to Life which consists of right to health, right to a safe environment, right to safe living conditions and right to be informed among other rights. One of the major establishments was made by the Supreme Court in the judgment of Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India and others[7], in which the Honourable Court held privacy to be a fundamental right under Article 21. Right to Privacy thus entailed, “Decisional privacy reflected by an ability to make intimate decisions primarily consisting of one’s sexual or procreative nature and decisions in respect of intimate relations”. This again directs to the infringement of a woman’s right of not being able to make intimate decisions for herself. In Bodhisattwa Gautam v. Subhra Chakraborty[8], the Supreme Court was crystal clear in saying, “Rape is a crime against basic human rights and a violation of the victims’ most cherished of fundamental rights, namely, the right to life enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution”. Yet the Exception negates this very pronouncement by not recognizing marital rape.[9]

CONCLUSION

Marital Rape stands to be one of the most horrific forms of crimes against women in a family. Women mostly choose not to come up with their sufferings because of the patriarchal subjugation and the lack of facilities for them to be economically independent. The ever-existing patriarchy embedded in the minds of the society pays no heed to the abuse faced by women. This mindset proves to be crucial in letting the law makers provide plethora of unreasonable defences to not provide any penalties for this crime. Rape is not simply a physical ambush; however, it is dangerous of the entire persona of the person in question. The law did not conceptualize it as an offense against the individual of the woman, one that pulverizes her opportunity; rather, it considered rape as an instrument for defending a man’s property from the sexual conflicts of other men. Along these lines, the demonstration of rape inside marriage was not perceived as an offense as a woman was viewed as the property of the spouse, and a man could not be seen to abuse his own property.

Marital rape can be observed in families of all types irrespective social class, level of education, economic reasons and so on. Women in rural areas lack the considerably basic awareness that such an act is a wrongful one and are forced to believe that it is a part and parcel of marriage. This is another reason why even the research data cannot be fully relied upon because of the untold stories of these unaware women.

While the Marital Rape Exception continues to be central to the struggle faced by the supporters and feminist activists but problems such as gathering reliable evidence especially in cases where there are no physical injuries and proving that consent of the wife was not taken, still exists. Relying on the sole testimony of the woman with no concrete evidence or where evidence is negligible leads to the rise of false allegations against men to which there exists no damage control.

[1] Marital Rape, (July 31,2020) http://rapeinfo.wordpress.com/2008/05/25/marital-rape/

[2] #MoreThanJustBrides, Blog, (July 31, 2020) http://www.marthafarrellfoundation.org/blog/morethanjustbrides/

[3] INDIA CONST. art. 14.

[4] Saurabh Chaudhari v. Union of India (2004) 5 SCC 618.

[5] INDIA CONST. art. 21.

[6] AIR (1978) SC 597.

[7] (2015) 10 SCC 92.

[8] (1996) 1 SCC 490.

[9] N. Tandon & N. Oberoi, Marital Rape — A Question of Redefinition, Lawyer’s Collective, Mar 2000, 24.

#Indian Railways in times COVID – World’s largest ‘Double-Stack’ Container tunnel.

By Udbhav Bhargava

Construction of the world’s largest electrified tunnel has completed yet another phase, having finished cutting through the rocks of Aravallis. The tunnel is part of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor Project near the Sohna, Haryana of the Indian railway. This connects Haryana districts Mewat and Gurgaon, and negotiates a steep gradient on the Aravalli range up and down slope. Over the next 12 months, plans are to train electrical goods with double-stack containers via it.

What are double-stack containers?

A double-stack container is a wagon for rail transport on which two containers can be stacked. Such containers allow greater freight movement and are critical assets on the railway ‘s commercial hot-routes, such as those connected to ports and container terminals.

WDFC OF RAILWAYS

Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) is a large, under construction gauge corridor that will connect India’s national and business capital Delhi and Mumbai. To increase freight movement rates, DFC will differentiate freight and passenger traffic. The WDFC will cover 1,483 km of electric double-lane track from JNPT to Dadri, passing via Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Palanpur, Phulera and Rewari.

ARAVALLIS – THE OLDEST ROCKS

In order to construct the world’s first electrified double-stack container tunnel, engineers had to blast through 2,500 to 500-million-year-old proterozoic rocks. The last blasting was done on 24^th of July. It means that the excavation work for the one-kilometer tunnel is complete, and now it is complete. To answer questions pertaining to geological stability, the tunnel is safe and stable as it is caved through 2,500 to 500 million-year – old proterozoic rocks, primarily quartzite, schists and slates of Alwar / Azabgarh groups of Delhi rocks which have a high bearing capacity, according to the concerned authorities.

BIGGEST TUNNEL IN INDIA

The D-shaped tunnel has a 150 square meter cross-sectional area to accommodate double lines with higher overhead equipment to allow double-stack container movement on the freight corridor. Cross-sectional area wise, it is one of India’s biggest rail tunnels.

Structural specifications

The tunnel measurements are 14.5 meters in width and 10.5 meters in height in a straight section, and 15 meters in width and 12.5 meters in height to provide additional clearance as the curve is negotiated. The tunnel height is 6.5 meters, and the minimum touch wire height is set at 5.2 meters. The country’s first electrified tunnel is built using the modern Austrian Tunneling Method (ATM), in the form of a ‘horse shoe’. Given the coronavirus pandemic, research in DFCCIL (Dedicated Freight Corridor Company of India Limited) is advancing at a rapid and resolute rate. According to the announcement, the Eastern, excluding some sections, and the Western DFC are scheduled for completion in June 2022.

AI-equipped & lightest in its class – the DRDO-made Bharat drone soon to be deployed.

By Udbhav Bhargava

BHARAT – MADE BY DRDO

The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has provided the Indian Army with a special made-in-India drone at the backdrop of the recent standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), called Bharat, was developed by DRDO laboratory based in Chandigarh, amid increasing border tensions with China. The drone is a piece of Indian technical expertise, and a response / counter to China’s unveiled helicopter drones.

REASONS BEHIND IMMEDIATE DEVELOPMENT

The recently developed unmanned AR500C helicopter, built by China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC). The helicopter drone is capable of performing missions including recognition and communication relay but can also perform electronic disruption, target indication, fire strike, cargo delivery, nuclear radiation and chemical contamination recognition if additionally equipped. The unmanned helicopter can be operated with ease via a keyboard and a screen.

According to experts, if commissioned into the Chinese military in the future, an unmanned helicopter such as the AR500C can assist in missions in the high elevation border areas, as it can keep a watchful eye on the skies for extended periods and patrol places that are difficult for infantry troops to reach on foot, which can increase the Chinese surveillance and recognition power.

‘Bharat’ Drone – World’s most agile and lightest

Touted by the developers to be one of the ‘world’s most agile and lightest surveillance drones’, the UAV has been developed fully indigenously by the DRDO. According to DRDO sources cited by news agency ANI, the “small yet powerful drone works autonomously at any location with great accuracy. The unibody biomimetic architecture with advanced release technology is a deadly combination for monitoring missions.

AI EQUIPPED DRONE

Interestingly, the drone is fitted with artificial intelligence to identify friends and enemies and then react accordingly. Extreme weather conditions The monitoring system has been designed to work in severe cold, with extreme weather conditions along the LAC in mind. With Chinese troops transgressing along the LAC as the key obstacle, the drone also provides real-time video transmission during the search, and can even detect people hiding under deep forest cover. The drone has also been fitted with night vision capabilities and its stealthy architecture ensures its signature from enemy radars remains undetected.

‘Winter Diesel’ to fuel Indian Army vehicles in Ladakh and other sub-zero regions.

By Udbhav Bhargava

The News

Winter diesel may soon be used by the Indians armed forces for operations in high altitude areas such as Ladakh. The Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) has sought the permission of the armed forces’ Directorate-General for Quality Assurance (DGQA) to allow winter diesel use for military vehicles.

What happens to fuel in Low temperatures?

Standard diesel fuel contains paraffin wax which is used to improve viscosity and lubrication. The paraffin wax gets thicker or “gels” at low temperatures, which impedes the fuel flow in the car engine. Gel point is the temperature at which solid diesel fuel melts and cannot flow by gravity or be pumped into fuel lines any more. This phenomenon happens when a fuel reaches a temperature that is low enough that ample wax crystals have formed to prevent any movement in the oil.

For diesel this is usually around −8 °C and for petrol this is at -68 °C. Use of kerosene to dilute diesel to make it functional can seem like an improvisation that can help but it will cause more air pollution and harm to modern diesel engines, contrary to common opinion. If improvised, then fuel tank preheating can be fatally risky. A rational alternative may be to apply anti-gel additives to diesel or biodiesel where the temperature is supposed to cool. They serve to reduce the formation of wax crystals in the fuel, thereby reducing the fuel’s pour point and gel point.

The armed forces in these areas are fuelled by winter-grade diesel in cold deserts, like Ladakh. IOCL and other oil marketing firms are supplying armed forces with Diesel High Sulphur Pour Point (DHPP -W) for operations in those areas which also have a -30 ° C pour point.

What is Winter Diesel?

The winter-grade diesel produced by IOC has a low pouring point (the temperature below which the liquid loses its flow characteristics) of -33 ° Celsius, enabling it to withstand the harsh winter weather conditions in Ladakh. It also follows the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) BS-VI Grade specification. The winter-grade diesel is provided by the Indian Oil Corporation Limited Panipat Refinery. The special winter-grade diesel would help the the challenges for transport and mobility faced by local citizens during the harsh winter months.

Germany targets 2038 to phase out coal and nuclear sources from its energy pie.

By Udbhav Bhargava

Germany’s parliament was preparing to pass new legislation finalizing the phase-out of coal as an energy source. Both houses of parliament were to vote on the roadmap that envisions the phase-out of coal between now and 2038. Germany is the first industrialized country that leaves behind both nuclear energy and coal energy.

The environmental pressure groups do deserve some credit for the change. Greenpeace and other environmental organizations have protested vociferously against the proposal, including by lowering a banner down the Reichstag building door. We claim that the road map of the government does not curb greenhouse gas emissions from Germany quickly enough to achieve the goals set out in the Paris Climate Agreement.

Carbon Emissions and Nuclear Energy – hindrances

However, Germany has demonstrated low results in relation to more recent European targets for rising carbon emissions. In Germany, the growing share of RES has not been enough to cut carbon emissions.

The share of RES has not been effective to eliminate pollution in Germany due to a decrease in nuclear power alone and the continuous maintenance of high coal-fired electricity products. Another reason is, nearly forty years after the start of the German energy transition, Germany remains the world’s largest lignite (brown coal) producer, with lignite and hard coal supplying nearly 40 per cent of its electricity. These reasons have hampered renewables to have a larger share in the ‘energy pie’. Germany will miss its own 2020 climate target by about 7%, but is determined to cover it up and augment its renewables energy generation.

Positive outcomes of the energy shift

German shift to renewable energy sources originated from bottom-up efforts by individuals and private-owned businesses supporting renewable energy sources. RES share in total power generation rose from 3 percent in 1990 to 40 percent in 2018. This has generated about 350,000 new jobs and has spread fairly evenly across the world.

Impact of Fukushima nuclear disaster

The nuclear catastrophe of 2011 at Fukushima in Japan resulted in massive anti-atomic power demonstrations across Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel announced two months after the incident that all the plants would be demolished in the next decade. Germany will be the second nation to shut down all its nuclear power stations after Italy.

Final stretch of the phase-out

Germany has vowed to start decommissioning all of its 17 nuclear power facility by the end of 2022. In December 2019, Operators began shutting down the Philippsburg nuclear power plant in southern Germany. It was the only nuclear plants still operating in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg. 2050 and 2038. Germany is planning to become neutral of greenhouse gas by 2050. It has set the tentative target of reducing emissions by at least 55 per cent compared to rates in 1990. Germany wants to phase out coal power by 2038 to attain this goal.

India to counter Chinese influence through the ‘Necklace of Diamonds’

By Udbhav Bhargava

The ‘Necklace of Diamond’ is India’s reaction to China’s ‘String of pearls.’ This is part of a multi-stakeholder strategy to combat the aspirations of China in the Indian Ocean region and the Indo-Pacific region.

What is ‘String of pearls’?

The ‘Pearl String’ strategy of China ensures that maritime bases are established in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Djibouti to enhance its influence and military network. India claims that China is seeking to encircle the Indian Ocean with a network of dual-use port facilities. Concern-Choke points for defense, energy and stability. Sea lines run through several major maritime choke points like the Mandeb Strait, the Malacca Strait, the Hormuz Strait and the Lombok Strait. These pearls are positioned close to many of those Chinese choke points.

Diplomatic Debt traps

Sri Lanka had depended heavily on China to develop a port in Hambantota for $1.5 billion. After the port worked at a loss and was unable to produce enough revenue to repay the loan to Beijing, the port was leased to China for 99 years in exchange for $1.1bn which eased its situation.

Encircling India. China through several measures, such as, debt traps, CPEC, Belt and road projects, et cetera has established or expedited the establishment of ports and naval bases.

India’s Counter

India has been creating a “Necklace of Diamonds” to counter the “String of Pearls” created by China. The ‘Necklace’ comprises

1. Changi Naval Base in Singapore

2. Chabahar Port in Iran

3. Assumption Islands in Seychelles

4. Sabang port in Indonesia

5. Duqm Port in Oman

Changi Naval base, Singapore

In 2018, PM Modi signed the India-Singapore Bilateral Navy Cooperation Agreement which allows logistical support for Indian Navy vessels, including refueling at the Changi naval base in Singapore. Benefit-The Malacca Strait is known as one of the world’s most significant (and busiest) shipping lanes. This is the main lane for shipping between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Chabahar Port in Iran

The port of Iran offers links to Afghanistan, and a significant trading route to Central Asia.

Assumption Island, Seychelles

India buttresses its position to fight the Chinese who established and operated nearby Gwadar Port in Pakistan from Assumption Island naval base. India and Seychelles decided in 2015 on building the naval base for that area. This base is of strategic significance for India as China wants to expand its influence on the African continent via the maritime route and the island of Assumption lies on the main coast.

Sabang Port, Indonesia

In 2018, India got the military access to Sabang Port which is located right at the entrance of Malacca Strait, near the Nicobar Islands. A large chunk of trade and crude oil passes on to China through this region.

Duqm Port, Oman

India also got military access to the Port of Duqm in 2018. It sits on Oman’s south-eastern seaboard. The harbor facilitates crude imports from the Persian Gulf from India. In addition, Indian facilities are located right between the two major Chinese pearls — Djibouti and Gwadar. Besides that, India is building strong naval ties with Vietnam, Japan, France, Australia and the US.

Adultery in India

Introduction

The word “adultery” derives its origin from the French word “avoutre”, which has evolved from the Latin verb “adulterium” which means “to corrupt”. The dictionary meaning of adultery is that a married man commits adultery if he has sex with a woman with whom he has not entered into wedlock.

Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code was a section dealing with adultery. Only a man who had consensual sexual intercourse with the wife of another man without his consent could have been punished under this offence in India. The law became defunct on 27 September 2018 by a judgement of the Supreme Court of India.The Supreme Court called the law unconstitutional because it “treats a husband as the sole master.” However it is still a sufficient ground for divorce as ruled by the Supreme Court.

The offence of adultery is non-cognizable (a case in which a police officer cannot arrest the accused without an arrest warrant). Also, it is a bailable offence.

The offence of adultery is compoundable by the husband of the woman with whom adultery is committed. Compoundable offences are those where the court can record a compromise between the parties and drop charges against the accused. [Section 320 CrPC].

Section 497 read as follows:

Adultery.—
Whoever has sexual intercourse with a person who is and whom he knows or has reason to believe to be the wife of another man, without the consent or connivance of that man, such sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape, is guilty of the offence of adultery, and shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both. In such case the wife shall [not] be punishable as an abettor

The Court began to hear the arguments on this petition on 1 August 2018. The Court said that if the party challenging this section can simply prove that it violates Article 14 of the Constitution of India, then the section will be struck down.

A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court on 27 September 2018 unanimously ruled to scrap Section 497 and it is no longer as a offence in India

While reading the judgment, Chief Justice Dipak Misra said, “it (adultery) cannot be a criminal offence,” however it can be a ground for civil issues like divorce.

In October 2017, Joseph Shine, a non-resident Keralite, filed public interest litigation under Article 32 of the Constitution. The petition challenged the constitutionality of the offence of adultery under Section 497 of the IPC read with Section 198(2) of the CrPC.

Section 497 IPC criminalised adultery by imposing culpability on a man who engages in sexual intercourse with another person’s wife. Adultery was punishable with a maximum imprisonment of five years. Women, including consenting parties, were exempted from prosecution. Further, a married woman could not bring forth a complaint under Section 497 IPC when her husband engaged in sexual intercourse with an unmarried woman. This was in view of Section 198(2) of CrPC which specified how a complainant can file charges for offenses committed under Sections 497 and 498 IPC.

Section 497 was unconstitutional as the very basis for criminalising adultery was the assumption that a woman is considered as the property of the husband and cannot have relations outside of marriage. The same restrictions, however, did not apply in case of the husband. Section 497 violates right to privacy as well as liberty of women by discriminating against married women and perpetrating gender stereotypes.

On 27.09.2018, a 5 Judge Bench of the Supreme Court unanimously struck down Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code as being violative of Articles 14. 15 & 21 of the Constitution.

Conclusion

The most important reason for debate to get re-ignited is the drastic change in the social status of women. Gone are the days when Women were suppressed or subjugated lot. The practices of sati, child marriage, polygamy, etc, have been done away with.

Today there are laws against these evils and also laws providing effective relief against heinous acts such as domestic violence, dowry and others. Almost all professional colleges has a quota for women. Thus women today are in no way inferior to men or suppressed, and are at par with the opposite sex. The effective implementation of these laws and other women friendly provisions in the constitution insures that women, today, have an edge in the society. All this has resulted in them gaining the power of choice. They can no longer be classified as victims in cases of adultery

Necessity of Absolute Liability

Our country is a pioneer in industrial development and the demo-graphs of such development is soaring high each day. Also, with the complexity in both geography and life, it is necessary the rules established should be strict and more absolute principle of liability with the respect of no fault liability. Thus, the principle established in Rylands v Fletcher of strict liability evolved in the 19^th century, and in the period when the industrial revolution had just begun cannot be used in the modern world. The two century old principle of tortious liability compared to the present conditions of our country when it is in the verge of being one of the most globalized countries of the world, cannot be taken into consideration without modifications. It is also to notice that the technical complexity and the nature of industrial development being high at a high rate, the protection of the human rights and lives of people should be taken into consideration. Hence, the principle of strict liability cannot be still considered as the only redressal. It is also true that law cannot afford to be static and the fact that the industrial development cannot be done without the existence of inherently dangerous industries, it is very much necessary that the responsibility for the protection of people from any such type of accidents, etc is put on the shoulders of the industries themselves. From the above mentioned points, it is a key necessity that such a principle is evolved which will not only shape the jurisprudence but will also help to not carry the absolute principle of Strict liability in modern society. Thus, the necessity factors as discussed clearly helps us to understand that the principle of absolute liability is not only required to protect the human rights of the people, but also to develop tort law in India which will expand our own country’s jurisprudence.

In absolute liability only those are risk which are associated with risky or isn’t fundamental. It is material to those harmed inside and outside the preface. The rule doesn’t have any special exceptions like Strict Liability. The control which was clarified in Rylands v Fletcher applies just to the normal utilization of land, however, outright risk applies even to the common utilization of land. When a man utilizes a dangerous substance and that substance gets away, he will be held liable even if he had taken due care. The degree of the dangerous activity also depends upon the money and size related capacity of the establishment. The Supreme Court additionally expressed that the undertaking must be held to be under a “commitment to guarantee” that the hazardous dangerous activity exercises in which it must be directed with the most standard of safety and security if any damage comes because of such careless activity. The organization, then, must be held absolutely liable to adjust, for any harm caused and no defense that he had taken all sensible care and the damage caused with no carelessness on his part.

The principles of absolute and strict liability can be viewed as exceptions. It is known that a man can be at risk if he has fault. The guideline overseeing these two rules is that a man can be a subject even without his fault. Thus, this is also known as principles of “no fault liability”. Under these principles, the individual at risk might not have done or been involved in the act, but he will be at charge despite everything because the harm was caused by the act. In the principle of strict liability, there are a few exceptions where the defendant would not be made at risk. But in absolute liability, no exceptions are given to the defendant. Tort is a civil wrong for which the remedy is a precedent based law activity for unliquidated harms and which doesn’t necessarily happen due to breach of an agreement or the break of a trust or just fair commitment. For “no fault liability”, the individual at risk might not have done any act of negligence or carelessness or may have put in some positive attempts but however the rule will hold him liable. This guideline has its foundations in the two landmark cases – Rylands v Fletcher (Strict Liability) and MC Mehta v Union of India (Absolute Liability). The strict liability principle expresses that a person who keeps hazardous or inherently dangerous substance in his territory will be in charge of the fault if that substance escapes in any way and causes any harm. This rule stands genuine even if there are no negligence or carelessness in favor of the person keeping it. The burden of proof lies on the defendant to act how is not at risk. The principle of absolute liability, on the other hand, held that where a person is undertaking a hazardous or inherently dangerous movement and it hurts anybody because of an accident while carrying out the characteristically hazardous action, the result is strictly and absolutely liable decision where the remedy is to repay to everyone who was affected by the accident. Both these principle take after the “no fault liability principle”, a principle in which the defendant is held liable regardless of whether he is not specifically or impliedly in charge of the harms caused to the plaintiff.