TNPSC Current Affairs July 07, 2018

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs July 07, 2018 (07/07/2018)

Topic : Indian Organizations, General Administration, Latest Diary of Events

National Green Tribunal

Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel has been appointed the chairperson of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

About the National Green Tribunal (NGT):

NGT has been established under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.

Ambit:

The tribunal deals with matters relating to the enforcement of any legal right relating to environment and giving relief and compensation for damages to persons and property.

Topic: Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions

Uttarakhand HC declares animal kingdom a legal entity

The Uttarakhand high court has declared the entire animal kingdom, including birds and aquatic animals, as a legal entity having rights of a “living person”. The move aims to ensure “greater welfare” of animals.

The entire animal kingdom, including avian and aquatic ones, are declared as legal entities having a distinct persona with corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person.

Legal entity?

A legal entity means an entity which acts like a natural person but only through a designated person, whose acts are processed within the ambit of law. This means the animal kingdom could be represented by a custodian.

Background:

The order came in response to a public interest litigation seeking directions to restrict the movement of horse carts/tongas between Nepal and India through Champawat district and highlighted that ailing, infirm and old horses were being abandoned by the owners in the Indian Territory.

Significance:

This order will go a long way in building a compassionate society as it was illogical to treat sentient creatures as inanimate objects.

Key facts:

Uttarakhand high court in March last year accorded the status of “living entity” to the Ganga and Yamuna rivers, a decision subsequently stayed by the Supreme Court.

Topic : Latest Diary of Events, Profile of States

Mattala Airport

India has agreed to form a joint venture with Sri Lanka to operate the country’s loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in Hambantota.

Key facts:

It is dubbed as the “world’s emptiest airport” due to a lack of flights.

The airport infrastructure was funded through high interest Chinese commercial loans. The airport was officially opened in March 2013.

The only international flight operating from there was halted in May due to recurrent losses and flight safety issues.

Topic : India’s Foreign Policy, Latest Diary of Events

President of India to Visit Goa on July 7 and 8, 2018

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, will visit Goa on July 7 and 8, 2018. This will be his first visit to Goa as the President of India.

Topic : International Diary of Events

Nawaz Sharif sentenced to 10 years in jail for corruption

An anti-corruption court in Islamabad sentenced former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to 10 years in prison. His daughter Maryam Nawaz was sentenced to seven years and son-in-law Captain Safdar (retd.) to one year in jail.

He was ousted from his third term as Prime Minister by the Supreme Court last year following the Panama Papers revelations that he had stashed assets abroad through offshore companies. The court banned him from politics for life.