National Clean Air Programme 

• It was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in January 2019. 

• It is the first-ever effort in the country to frame a national framework for air quality management with a time-bound reduction target. 

• It seeks to cut the concentration of coarse (particulate matter (PM) of diameter 10 micrometers or less, or PM10) and fine particles (particulate matter of diameter 2.5 micrometers or less, or PM2.5) by at least 20% in the next five years, with 2017 as the base year for comparison. 

• It covers 132 non-attainment cities which were identified by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). 

• Non-attainment cities are those that have fallen short of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for over five years. 

• NAAQs are the standards for ambient air quality about various identified pollutants notified by the CPCB under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. 

• List of pollutants under NAAQS: PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, NH3, Ozone, Lead, Benzene, BenzoPyrene, Arsenic and Nickel. 

Target Levels 

Current Scenario: 

• The country’s current, annual average prescribed limits for PM2.5 and PM10 are 40 micrograms/per cubic meter (ug/m3) and 60 micrograms/per cubic meter. 

New Targets: 

• The NCAP initially set a target of reducing key air pollutants PM10 and PM2.5 by 20-30% in 2024, taking the pollution levels in 2017 as the base year to improve upon. 

• In September 2022, however, the Centre moved the goalposts and set a new target of a 40% reduction in particulate matter concentration, by 2026. 

Achieving Targets: 

• An analysis of the four-year performance of the NCAP by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), concluded that only 38 of the 131 cities that signed agreements with the Centre, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), and State Pollution Control Boards achieved their annual pollution reduction targets.

Yakshagana 

• Yakshagana is a traditional theatre form of Karnataka. 

• It is a temple art form that depicts mythological stories and Puranas. 

• It is performed with massive headgear, elaborate facial makeup, and vibrant costumes and ornaments. 

• Usually recited in Kannada, it is also performed in Malayalam and Tulu (the dialect of south Karnataka). 

• It is performed with percussion instruments like chenda, maddalam, jagatta, or chengila (cymbals) and chakratala or elathalam (small cymbals).

About India-UK Defence Ties Post-Independence Defence Policy: 

India adopted the Non-Aligned Movement post-1947 independence to avoid Cold War entanglements. 

Strategic Partnership Initiation: 

• In 2004, India and the U.K. commenced a strategic partnership, post-Cold War. 

• High-Level Dialogues: They established annual summits and meetings for heads of government and foreign ministers to discuss cooperation in areas like antiterrorism, civil nuclear initiatives, and space programs 

Common Security Challenges: 

Both nations face similar security threats, such as terrorism and extremism, necessitating strengthened defense cooperation. 

Defence Cooperation Commitment:

• The cooperation includes capacity building, technology exchange, military exercises, and intelligence sharing. 

• ‘Make in India’ Engagement: The U.K. supports India’s ‘Make in India’ campaign, especially in the defense sector, where there’s potential for growth. 

Defence Industry Collaboration: 

• Approximately 70 U.K. defense companies supply parts for Indian military aircraft and support maintenance for legacy fleets. 

2015 Defence Partnership Agreement:

The visit by the Indian PM in 2015 led to an agreement on a new Defence and International Security Partnership focusing on cyber security and maritime security. 

Maritime Engagement Increase: 

• The U.K.’s deployment of the Carrier Strike Group in the Indian Ocean aligns with its Indo-Pacific strategic focus Joint Exercises Between India- UK and Visits Ex Ajeya Warrior: A biennial India-UK bilateral military exercise. 

• The 7th edition took place in April-May 2023 in the UK, focusing on Army team collaboration. 

Exercise Konkan: 

• An annual naval exercise between the Indian Navy (IN) and Royal Navy (RN), conducted in March 2023 off the Konkan coast to enhance maritime cooperation. 

Ex Cobra Warrior: 

• In March 2023, the Indian Air Force participated in this multinational air exercise in the UK with other global forces. Visits of UK Royal Navy Ships: HMS Lancaster and HMS Tamar visited Kochi and Chennai in March 2023, encouraging Navy-to-Navy interaction.

Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA): 

• CCPA is a regulatory body established in 2020 based on the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. 

• CCPA works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. 

Composition: 

• It will have a Chief Commissioner as head, and only two other commissioners as members — one of whom will deal with matters relating to goods while the other will look into cases relating to services. 

• The CCPA will have an Investigation Wing that will be headed by a Director General. 

• District Collectors too, will have the power to investigate complaints of violations of consumer rights, unfair trade practices, and false or misleading advertisements. 

Powers and Functions: 

• Inquire or investigate matters relating to violations of consumer rights or unfair trade practices suo moto, or on a complaint received, or on a direction from the central government.

• Impose a penalty of up to Rs 10 lakh, with imprisonment of up to two years, on the manufacturer or endorser of false and misleading advertisements. The penalty may go up to Rs 50 lakh, with imprisonment up to five years, for every subsequent offense committed by the same manufacturer or endorser. 

• Ban the endorser of a false or misleading advertisement from making an endorsement of any products or services in the future, for a period that may extend to one year. The ban may extend up to three years for every subsequent violation of the Act. 

• File complaints of violation of consumer rights or unfair trade practices before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Optical Fiber Connection project

Context: 

• Prime Minister of India inaugurated the Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands submarine optical fiber connection (KLI-SOFC) project among various developmental projects covering a wide range of sectors including technology, energy, water resources, healthcare, and education. 

Key Facts About the KLI-SOFC Project Background: 

• Lakshadweep required digital connectivity, prompting a high-capacity submarine cable link due to limitations in satellite communication, marked by inadequate bandwidth to meet growing demand. 

KLI-SOFC Project: 

• The KLI-SOFC project will lead to an increase in internet speed, unlocking new possibilities and opportunities. 

• The project introduces Submarine Optic Fiber Cable connectivity in Lakshadweep since independence. 

• Fiber optics, or optical fiber, refers to the technology that transmits information as light pulses along a glass or plastic fiber. 

• The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) funded by the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF), completed the project. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) was the Project Executing Agency. 

• The KLI project extended submarine cable connectivity from the mainland (Kochi) to eleven Lakshadweep Islands namely, Kavaratti, Agatti, Amini, Kadmat, Chetlet, Kalpeni, Minicoy, Androth, Kiltan, Bangaram, and Bitra has been extended. 

Significance: 

• The project aligns with the goals of 'Digital India' and 'National Broadband Mission,' fostering the rollout of various E-governance projects in Lakshadweep Islands. 

• E-Governance, Tourism, Education, Health, Commerce, and Industries will experience significant enhancements, contributing to improved standards of living and overall socio-economic development on the islands. 

• The population of Lakshadweep Islands will benefit from high-speed wireline broadband connectivity, facilitated through Fiber to the Home (FTTH), and 5G/4G Mobile network technologies. 

• The bandwidth generated by the project will be accessible to all Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), reinforcing telecom services in Lakshadweep Islands. 

Other Projects in Lakshadweep Islands: 

• Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) Plant at Kadmat:

• Produces 1.5 lakh liters of clean drinking water every day. Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) in Agatti and Minicoy Islands. All households on the Agatti and Minicoy islands now have functional household tap connections. 

• The LTTD is a process under which the warm surface seawater is flash evaporated at low pressure and the vapor is condensed with cold deep seawater. 

Solar Power Plant at Kavaratti: The first-ever battery-backed solar power project in Lakshadweep. 

Primary Health Care Facility in Kalpeni:  Foundation stone laid for the renovation of the primary health care facility in Kalpeni. 

Model Anganwadi Centres (Nand Ghars):  Five model Anganwadi centers (Nand Ghars) are to be constructed in the islands of Androth, Chetlat, Kadmat, Agatti, and Minicoy. 

Key Facts About the Lakshadweep Islands 

• India’s smallest Union Territory Lakshadweep is an archipelago consisting of 36 islands with an area of 32 sq. km. 

• The capital is Kavaratti and it is also the principal town of the UT. 

• All Islands are 220 to 440 km away from the coastal city of Kochi in Kerala, in the emerald Arabian Sea. 

• The name Lakshadweep in Malayalam and Sanskrit means ‘a hundred thousand islands’. 

• Lakshadweep has a tropical climate and it has an average temperature of 27° C – 32° C. 

• As the climate is equitable during monsoons, ship-based tourism is closed. 

• It is directly under the control of the Centre through an administrator.

Context: - 

Recently, the Kerala High Court has widened the definition of the word ‘procure’ in Section 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, to include customers seeking the services of prostitutes. Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act of 1956 

About: 

• The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act (ITP), 1956, aims to prevent the commercialization of vices and the trafficking of females. 

• It delineates the legal framework surrounding sex work. While the act itself does not declare sex work illegal, it prohibits running brothels. Engaging in prostitution is legally recognized, but soliciting people and luring them into sexual activities are considered illegal. 

Definition of Brothel: 

Section 2 defines a brothel as any place used for sexual exploitation or abuse for the gain of another person or for the mutual gain of two or more prostitutes. 

Definition of Prostitution: 

Prostitution, as per the act, is the sexual exploitation or abuse of persons for commercial purposes. 

Offenses Under the Act: 

• Section 5 of the act penalizes those who procure, induce, or take individuals for prostitution purposes. The punishment includes rigorous imprisonment for 3– 7 years and a fine of Rs 2,000. For offenses against a person's will or a child, the maximum sentence can extend to fourteen years or life. 

• A child is a person who has not completed the age of sixteen years. 

The current case: 

• The petitioner was arrested for being a customer in a brothel. Accused of offenses under the ITP Act’s Sections 3 (keeping a brothel or allowing premises to be used as one), 4 (living on prostitution earnings), 5 (procuring, inducing, or taking persons for prostitution), 7 (punishing prostitution in or around public places).

• The accused filed a plea seeking discharge, arguing that as a customer, he should not be implicated under the ITP Act. Ruling: 

• The Kerala High Court, while recognizing that the term "procure" in section 5 is not explicitly defined in the 1956 Act, interpreted it in the context of the act's objective of suppressing immoral trafficking and preventing prostitution. 

• The court ruled that the term includes customers, and therefore, a customer can be charged under Section 5.

Implications of the Ruling: 

• The Kerala High Court ruling expands the meaning of "procure" in Section 5, asserting that customers, in addition to pimps and brothel-keepers, can be held liable for procuring persons for prostitution. 

• The ruling does not declare the petitioner guilty under Section 5; rather, it allows charges to be filed, necessitating a trial. 

• Notably, the petitioner was discharged of offenses under Sections 3, 4, and 7 by the High Court. 

Differing High Court Opinions: 

Mathew vs the State of Kerala (2022): 

• The Kerala HC ruled that a customer caught in a brothel can be prosecuted under the ITP Act. “Section 7(1) of the Act penalizes two types of persons for indulging in prostitution within the areas specified. 

• Those persons are (i) the person who carries on prostitution and (ii) the person with whom such prostitution is carried on,” the HC said, adding that the act of immoral traffic cannot be perpetrated or carried on without a ‘customer’