Prelim Bits 31-08-2021 | UPSC Daily Current Affairs

New Rules on Poultry Farms

Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries under Union Ministry of Agriculture has released a set of new guidelines for poultries.

• It classifies poultry farmers based on the number of birds in the farm
  1. Small - 5,000-25,000 birds
  2. Medium - 25,000 – 1 lakh birds
  3. Large – more than 1 lakh birds
• Restriction on location - A farm should be set up
  1. 500m away from a residential area,
  2. 100m from rivers, lakes, canals and drinking water sources,
  3. 100m from national highways and
  4. 10-15m from village footpaths and rural roads.
• Certificate of Consent - In 2015, Central Pollution Control Boards has classified Poultry, hatchery and piggery as “Green” sector and exempted them from air, water and environmental protection laws.
• In the new guideline, a farmer of medium-sized poultry farm will have to obtain a certificate of Consent from State Pollution Control Board under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981.
• The permission will be valid for 15 years.

The Animal Husbandry Department will be responsible for implementing the guidelines at the state and district level.

• Other guidelines include –
  1. Poultry farm need to have ventilated room
  2. Burials of dead birds to be done 3m above the ground water level
  3. Proper space between birds and protection from rodents and flies
  4. Farmers of small- and medium-sized poultry farms will have to arrange for manure
  5. Water from the farm must be collected in a tank to be later used for horticulture
  6. Poultry faeces, which emit gaseous ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and methane, do not mix with running water or any other pesticide

Livestock Census 2020

Leaded Petrol

According to UNEP, World has completely eradicated the use of Leaded Petrol.

• Globally, automotive fuel is completely lead-free now. Not a single fuel outlet sells leaded petrol anymore anywhere.
• Algeria was the last country to use the fuel.
• This feat is achieved after UNEP-led global Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) began its campaign in 2002 to eliminate lead in petrol.
• Fumes from leaded petrol vehicles have been a significant source of lead exposure to humans.
• It affects emissions control systems of vehicles particularly catalytic converters.
• India and Leaded Petrol - It started its phase down in 1994 and completed in 2000.
• Initially, low-leaded petrol was introduced in Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai in 1994, followed by unleaded petrol in 1995.

Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV)

• It was setup at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, 2002.
• UNEP hosted the Secretariat.
• Its aim is to eliminate leaded petrol globally and provided support to many countries and regional initiatives.
• At the time, 117 countries world-wide were still using leaded petrol with 86 countries supported to phase out leaded petrol.
• In 2006, the first major success was achieved – Sub-Saharan Africa went unleaded.

One District One Product Scheme

Under Phase 1 of the scheme, a number of export-potential products from various districts have been selected.

• The objective of the scheme is to convert each district of the country into an export hub.
• It aims to improve market accessibility of the chosen product by identifying and solving problems in its respective supply chain to make it globally competitive.
• A dedicated team has been established to identify products from 739 districts.
• It will create a comprehensive plan on each product including product branding & scheme awareness, trade facilitation, e-commerce on boarding, and to create forward & backward market linkages.
• Director General of Foreign Trade is engaging with State/UT Governments to implement the initiative in a phased manner.
• District Export Promotion Committee (DEPC) is constituted in all Districts of India, except districts of the state of West Bengal.
• It is operationally merged with ‘Districts as Export Hub’ initiative.
• A number of products from several districts have been selected for the phase 1 of the scheme.

List of Products

• Jamnagari Bandhani – A handloomed textile product from Gujarat dating back to 6th Century AD.
• The Kolhapuri Chappals from Karnataka and Maharashtra dating back to 12^th CAD rule of King Bijjal of Bidar.
• Naga Mircha - One of the world’s hottest chillies from Nagaland
• Lakadong Turmeric – It is the world’s finest turmeric from the State of Meghalaya with the average curcumin content of a high 7%.
• Blue Pottery from Jaipur 
• Markhana Marbels from Nagaur, Rajasthan 
• Kashmiri Papier Mâche designed by Sakhta Artisans 
• Machine parts from Tamil Nadu and 
• Pharmaceutical produce from Andhra Pradesh

Source: The Hindu, Business Line, Down to Earth