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Bird Flu – The Avian Influenza

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bird flu

Avian influenza or Bird Flu is a contagious disease of animals caused by viruses that normally infect only birds and, less commonly, pigs.

It is believed that the H5N1 is endemic to wild birds, occurring naturally in bodies of birds such as the swan, duck, and goose, surviving for long without causing them any disease. Acting as carriers, these birds which are migratory can infect other species.

The strain is believed to have spread from infected water fowl to common domestic chicken through nasal, oral, fecal and egg routes.

In domestic poultry, the infection causes two forms of the disease – low and high extremes of virulence. While the low pathogenic form causes only mild symptoms like ruffled feathers and a drop in egg production, the highly pathogenic form spreads very rapidly and kills the infected birds within 48 hours.

Symptoms and spread of

Symptoms of bird flu in humans range from the typical flu like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches to eye infections, pneumonia, respiratory diseases and other life threatening complications.

The symptoms of bird flu may depend on which virus strain caused the infection. Infected Birds shed flu virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and faeces. Other Birds get infected when they come in contact with contaminated excretions.

Minimizing the risk to poultry

An easy to read brochure published by the UN body Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), ‘Prevention and control of Avian flu in a small scale poultry: A guide for veterinary paraprofessionals in Cambodia’ gives simple tips that smallholders can follow to protect their flocks.

According to this guide, there are three basic principles to protecting a farm:

  • Keep birds in good condition so that they are able to resist disease better. This requires good access to clean water and adequate food, adequate housing for the birds and receiving de-worming products and vaccination.
  • Keep the poultry in a protected environment. Ideally, poultry should be kept in the closed building.
  • Control entry to farm.  People wheeled vehicle, implements, animals bought from elsewhere, and even dogs or cats carrying dead animals can bring the virus to the farm. Visitors should be kept away from where poultry leave and eat. A bucket of water and soap kept handy help reduce the risk of infection.

Bird flu and humans

Seasonal influenza affects human without doing much harm, though a very small number of old and weak persons may die of it. The common types of influenza virus in human are the A and B type. The H5N1 is a sub-type of the A virus.

It can be passed from bird to human due to close proximity. Researchers point out that several subtypes of the A virus coexist in harmony with their natural hosts (wild fowl, for instance). The viruses in these natural hosts are in evolutionary stasis that is they show minimum evolution at the amino acid level over long periods of time.

However, when they get into a new host, the viruses evolve at a fast pace. The biggest danger of transmission comes from bird droppings as these have an encrustation that provides protection to the viruses for a longer time, and chances of infection increase as the droppings dry and become pulverized.

The infected chickens die as their immune system over-reacts. The situation continues till the host develops immunity. Viruses jumping the species barrier are rare occurrences. But when it happens, as in the case of H5N1 strain, the viruses mutate to infect humans in an aggressive manner causing rapid deterioration and high fatality.

Going by the fact that, the number of human infected is low, the mortality rate is high at 50% (it is 15% in poultry), we can conclude that pathogenicity is high in humans. So far, human to human transmission of the disease is not known, but, with virus evolution and mixing of the virus and human genes, mutation enabling such transmission cannot be ruled out.

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Outer Space Treaty

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Outer Space Treaty

Outer Space Treaty is a legally binding international treaty that regulates the use of space for peaceful use only. This treaty was signed in 1967, was agreed through the UN, was the first treaty of its kind to be signed and today it remains as the ‘constitution’ of outer space. It has been signed and made official, or has been ratified, by 105 countries across the world.

Though the treaty is technically binding, in the absence of Space Police, it can be practically enforced.So a country can easily bypass the treaty but there are implications for not complying like sanctions, lack of legitimacy and respect which is of importance in the international arena. But in spite of its continued existence since 50 years, it has never been violated.

Features of the Treaty

1.Outer space can be used for “peaceful purposes” – weapons of mass destruction cannot be used in space.

  1. Celestial territory (such as the moon or Mars), is not subject to “national appropriation” – i,e, no country can lay claim to them.

Analysis

In spite of few challenges, the treaty has done its job especially during the cold war era when it was incepted so that to avoid any conflict in space between the two super power i,e, USA  and USSR.However Art.iv of the treaty need some update but  50 years down the line of its inception at the time increasing space exploration, global interconnectedness, it is time to revisit the treaty and equip it to deal with the unique challenges posed by the interconnected postmodern globalised world we live in.

 

You May Also Like to Read:     Milestones in Space Exploration

Labour Code on Wages Bill

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labour code on wages bill

The Labour Code on Wages Bill (Wage Bill) drafted by Ministry of Labour & Employment is an amalgam of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 and the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976. It seeks to benefit around 40 crore workers currently working in unorganized sector.

 Aim:

  • Reforming the labour laws and improving the ‘ease of doing business’ ranking.
  • Transforming India into a manufacturing hub through its “Make in India” programme.

Highlights of The Labour Code on Wages Bill :

 

  1. Prohibition of discrimination on ground of gender:
  • The bill seeks to eliminate all forms of discrimination among male, female and transgender employees on the ground of sex in the matter of wages; under the same employer, in respect of work of same or similar nature.
  1. Minimum Wages:
  • Till now the power of wage fixation lies exclusively with the state governments. But this leads to the non-uniformity of wages. The current bill empowers the Centre to issue directions to the State governments in respect of wage fixation to avoid any discrepancy.
  • The bill asks the State Government, to take into account the skill required, the arduousness of the work assigned to the worker, the cost of living of the worker, geographical location of the place of work and other factors while fixing or revising the minimum rates of the wages.
  • The code provides for the constitution of Minimum Wages Advisory Board at both central and the state level to advise the respective governments relating to fixation or revision of minimum wages or matters relating thereto.
  1. Payment of Wages:
  • Payment of Wages Act 1936 required payment of wages primarily in cash, and through banks only upon a specific request by the employee. Post demonetization, the Payment of Wages Act was amended to include payments by cheque or by crediting the wages in the bank account of the employee. The Wage Bill now mandates every employer to make payment of wages electronically (bank transfer) or by cheque unless notified otherwise by the Government.
  1. Inspectors to facilitators:
  • The Wage Bill provides for “facilitators” instead of “inspectors”, who are empowered to provide the employers and workers with advice regarding effective means of complying with the law along with their power of inquiry and investigation.

 

Background:

India has one of the most rigid labour markets in the world. To improve its “Ease of doing business” ranking and to boost its manufacturing sector, which currently accounts for only 16% of India’s $2 trillion economy, India desperately needs some major overhaul in its labour laws.

Realizing the same, the incumbent government has tried introducing one of the biggest legislative reforms in Indian labour laws, by reducing 44 Central labour laws into four codes in order to simplify them. These are :

  • Labour Code on Wages
  • Labour Code on Industrial Relations
  • Labour Code on Social Security & Welfare
  • Labour Code on Safety &Working Conditions

 

To refer to the bill –> CLICK HERE

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Well Known Historical Monument of India

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historical monument of India

Qutab Minar (Delhi)

Qutab Minar, historical monument of India in red and buff sandstone, is the highest tower in India. It has a diameter of 14.32 meter at the base and about 2.75 meter on the top with a height of 72.5. It was built by Qutab-ud-din Aibak to celebrate Muslim dominance in Delhi after the defeat of Delhi’s last Hindu ruler. The construction of the tower was later taken over by his successors Iltutmish and Firoz Shah Tuglak. The different architectural styles from Aibak to Tuglak are clearly visible in the Qutab Minar.

Gateway of India (Mumbai)

Gateway of India, historical monument of India, the colossal structure was constructed in 1924 by George Wittet. The main objective behind the construction was to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary. It acts as a symbolic representation of Mumbai’s prosperity all over the globe.

Taj Mahal (Agra, Uttar Pradesh)

Taj Mahal, historical monument of India the pinnacle of Mughal architecture, was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It took 22 years of the workforce of 22,000 persons to complete the tomb. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being the “Jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired master pieces of world’s heritage”.

Must Read: History of India in a nutshell

Fatehpur Sikri (Agra, Uttar Pradesh)

Fatehpur Sikri, historical monument of India, it was built between 1569 and 1585 by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. It is considered as one of the architectural legacies of Emperor Akbar and consists of beautiful places, halls and mosques.

Sun Temple (Konark, Odisha)

The Sun Temple, historical monument of India was built in about 1250 AD by the East Ganga king Narasimhadeva. The temple is shaped like a giant chariot and is known for the exquisite stone carvings that cover the entire structure. It was designed in form of gorgeously decorated chariot mounted on 24 wheels, each about 10 feet in diameter, and drawn by 7 mighty horses

Victoria Memorial (Kolkata)

Victoria Memorial, historical monument of India, it was built between 1906 and 1921 in the memory of Queen of Victoria by Lord Curzon. Built on the grounds on the Hoogly river it is now a museum having an assortment of British Raj Paintings and other paintings. It was built to highlight the glory of British Empire in India.

Jaisalmer Fort (Jaisalmer, Rajasthan)

Jaisalmer Fort, historical monument of India, it was built in 1156 AD by the Rajput ruler Rawal Jaiswal to dispose his nephew Bhojdev from his territory. It is popularly known as “Sone ka Quila” by the local people.

Also Read: Important Battles in the Indian History

Sanchi Stupa (Madhya Pradesh)

The Great Stupa at Sanchi is the historical monument of India and was commissioned by the emperor Ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BCE and the 12th century AD. It is famous as a paradigm of Buddhist architecture and culture. Lord Buddha has been emblematically represented Sanchi Stupa in the figure of trees and other inanimate forms.

Golconda Fort (Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh)

It was built by the Kakatiya dynasty around 12th and 16th century. The fort is built on a granite hill around 120 meters and is bordered by thick walls. The fort was renowned for diamond trade and it is said that the world famous “Kohinoor” was found here.

Gol Gumbaz (Karnataka)

It was built by Adil Shah in the year 1656. It is a fine piece of Islamic architectural style. It has a floor area of 1700 sq. meter, a height of 51 meter and diameter of 37 meter. Any sound at this place echoes for over 11 times.

Read Also: History Article Industrial Revolution in England

UPSC Civil Services Exam

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upsc civil services exam

Every year UPSC calls application for Civil Services Examination for recruitment to the Services mentioned below:

  1. Indian Administrative Service.
  2. Indian Foreign Service.
  3. Indian Police Service
  4. Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service, Group ‘A’.
  5. Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group ‘A’.
  6. Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), Group ‘A’.
  7. Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group ‘A’.
  8. Indian Revenue Service (I.T.), Group ‘A’.
  9. Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Group ‘A’ (Assistant Works Manager, Administration).
  10. Indian Postal Service, Group ‘A’.
  11. Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group ‘A’.
  12. Indian Railway Traffic Service, Group ‘A’.
  13. Indian Railway Accounts Service, Group ‘A’.
  14. Indian Railway Personnel Service, Group ‘A’.
  15. Post of Assistant Security Commissioner in Railway Protection Force, Group ‘A’
  16. Indian Defence Estates Service, Group ‘A’.
  17. Indian Information Service (Junior Grade), Group ‘A’.
  18. Indian Trade Service, Group ‘A’ (Gr. III).
  19. Indian Corporate Law Service, Group “A”.
  20. Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, Group ‘B’ (Section Officer’s Grade).
  21. Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Civil Service, Group ‘B’.
  22. Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Police Service, Group ‘B’.
  23. Pondicherry Civil Service, Group ‘B’.
  24. Pondicherry Police Service, Group ‘B’

Every year around 800-1000 candidates selected after the final process to join above-mentioned services (generally 60-80 gets IAS). The selection process starts with form filling for Preliminary Examination and ends after the result of Interview. After final selection, selected candidates have to go through the training process.

UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam

The Preliminary Exam consists of two papers General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II. Paper I is of social studies, general science, and current affairs; while Paper II is an aptitude test to evaluate comprehension skills, quantitative aptitude, decision making and general aptitude. You may find detailed syllabus of these two papers here.

Application forms filling for Civil Services PT Exam start in Feb-March month, and exam held in May-June. The result of this exam comes in the month of July-August.

Civil Services Mains Exam

After getting selected in Mains Exam applicants are required to fill Detailed Application Form online and upload all required documents to become eligible for appearing in Mains exam.

Mains exams consist of two steps first, written test and then interview.

Written Test

Written test has nine papers of total 1750 marks. You may read the complete syllabus here

Personality Test or Interview

Personality test conducted for the students selected after the written test. All the candidates are summoned to UPSC, Delhi to on their respective interview dates to take the 275 marks interview.

For more detailed information about the exam, this year’s dates, syllabus, books, cut-off, number of vacancies, previous year’s trends and marks you may read here