July 16-2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

• Magji Ladoo, a traditional sweet from Odisha, was awarded the GI tag.

Statement 1 is correct

• Geographical Indication (GI) is a name or sign used on certain products corresponding to a specific geographical location or origin. It is a type of Intellectual Property Right (IPR).
• It is protected by the WTO’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of IPRS (TRIPS) and the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications.
• Countries have their own frameworks for registering and protecting GI tags.
• GIs can be registered for various products, including agricultural products, food products, handicrafts, and manufactured goods.

Statement 2 is correct

• GI Tag is valid for ten years and can be renewed.

Statement 3 is correct

• GI registry has been established to administer the GI of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, under the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks of the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.

Answer: (c) All three; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

• According to the IUCN, the Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is believed to have experienced a decline of 24.5% over the past three generations.

Statement 1 is incorrect

• These are the smallest of the big cats known for their ability to adapt to a variety of habitats.
• Lifestyle: Solitary animals.

Statement 2 is correct

• Habitat: Tropical rainforests, dry deciduous forests, temperate forests, and northern coniferous forests.
• They do not occur in the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans and deserts.

Statement 3 is correct

• They are elusive and nocturnal animals.

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Tribunal is a quasi-judicial body, established under an act of Parliament or State Legislature, to adjudicate disputes or complaints.
• Proceedings of Tribunals are deemed to be judicial proceedings, and in certain matters they have the powers of a civil court, e.g. National Green Tribunal (NGT).
• They do not follow technicalities of rules of procedure or evidence as laid down under the Civil Procedure Code and the Indian Evidence Act but do follow the principles of Natural Justice.

Statement 2 is correct

• Tribunals are incorporated under Art 323-A and 323-B (by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976).
• Article 323-A: Under this, Administrative Tribunals can be created only by Parliament, and in pursuance of this, Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and State Administrative Tribunals (SAT) have been created.
• Article 323-B: Under this, Tribunals for all other matters can be created by Parliament as well as State Legislatures. E.g. Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), etc.
• To operationalise the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, the GoI enacted the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, leading to the formation of CAT & SAT.

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Gram Nyayalayas are deemed a Court of Judicial Magistrate of First Class with civil and criminal jurisdiction to settle petty disputes at the village level.
• The creation of Gram Nyayalayas was first suggested by the Law Commission of India in 1986 in its 114th Report.

Statement 2 is correct

• Appeal in criminal cases shall lie to the Court of Session, which shall be heard and disposed of within six months from the filing date of such appeal.
• Appeal in civil cases shall lie to the District Court, which shall be heard and disposed of within six months from the date of filing of the appeal.

Statement 3 is correct

• The State Governments are responsible for establishing Gram Nyayalayas in consultation with the respective High Courts.
• However, the Act does not make setting up of Gram Nyayalayas mandatory.

Answer: (d) None; Difficulty Level: Medium

Option (a) is correct

• Navigating New Horizons, A global foresight report on planetary Health and Humans wellbeing, 2024, published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• The report underscores significant global changes that are intensifying the triple planetary challenge of pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change.
• It noted that the threat of increasing commoditisation and inequitable access to nature and ecosystem services will further the concentration of wealth towards the wealthy. The UN report estimated these effects to manifest around the year 2035.
• Privatized environmentalism refers to the creation of exclusive, enclosed, and sometimes artificial habitats that cater to affluent members seeking stable ecosystems. The report highlights that these private enclaves, regardless of broader planetary declines, severely restrict equitable access to nature’s benefits and undermine shared responsibilities for conservation efforts, disrupting norms of environmental stewardship.

Answer: (a) United Nations Environment Programme; Difficulty Level: Easy