TRAI fixes ring timings for mobiles, landlines
Why in news?
- In a couple of weeks from now, mobile phone users will get 30 seconds to answer or reject a call, before it is considered a missed call.
News in detail
- In a new regulation, the Telecom Authority of India (TRAI), has fixed the ring time for calls made to mobiles at 30 seconds, and those made to landlines at 60 seconds.
- As per specifications by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the timer value for international calls or circuits is in the range of 1.5 minutes to 3 minutes but there is no prescribed value for the timer for domestic calls.
- The rules bring to an end a face-off between Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel over the issue. Last month, Bharti Airtel had cut the ringing time for calls made by its subscribers to 25 seconds from about 45 seconds, in retaliation to a similar move by rival Reliance Jio.
Robotic surgery facility
Why in news?
- The Robotic Surgery Facility in the Safdarjung Hospital (SJH) New Delhi was dedicated to the nation by the Union Minister of Health Harsh Vardhan. It is the first Central Government hospital to start this facility for poor patients for free.
About
- Safdarjang Hospital is one of the biggest tertiary care referral centre of India, under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare catering to all poor patients of uro-oncological cancers like prostate, kidney, bladder cancers and kidney failures, from different parts of country.
- It is also the first Central Government hospital in India to start this latest Robot Surgery facility for all poor patients for free.
Robotic surgery - Robotic surgery has the advantage of providing minimally invasive surgery, reducing significantly the morbidity and mortality of critically ill, cancer and kidney failure patients.
- The Robotic system provides 7 degrees of freedom, 3-D vision, 10 times magnification and better dissection with more precision. The operating time also decreases resulting in improvement in turnover of patients and decrease in waiting list of patients for surgery significantly.
Establishment and Strengthen AHTUs and WHDs
Why in news?
- Government of India has decided to set up and strengthen Women Help Desks (WHDs) and Anti-Human-Trafficking-Units (AHTice Stations in all States and UTs.
- WHDs would be gender sensitive desks for grievance redressal of women through the policing system, as well as catalysts for improved community interaction of the police with focus on crime against women and children.
- These will be set up at cost of Rs. 100 crores each to be funded 100% by the Central Government under Nirbhaya Fund.
Declare any area in J and K ‘disturbed’ under AFSPA
Why in news?
- The central government has bestowed on itself the authority to declare any area in the newly-created Union Territories (UTs) of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh as “disturbed” under the AFSPA, which gives sweeping powers to security forces to act against any suspect.
News in detail
- Till the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the state government through district magistrates were empowered to declare a particular district or police station area “disturbed” under the AFSPA.
- Administration of the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990 (21 of 1990) in both the UTs is now vested with the Department of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Affairs under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
- The AFSPA has been applicable to the erstwhile state since 1990. However, Leh and Kargil areas under the new UT of Ladakh were never declared as disturbed.
- With the bifurcation of the state, the police and law and order of both the UTs would be managed by the MHA through the respective Lieutenant Governors of the two UTs.
Two cyclonic storm
Why in news?
- For the first time since 1965, two cyclonic storms have prevailed simultaneously — Cyclone Kyarr and Cyclone Maha — over the Arabian Sea.
Key highlights:
- Maharashtra may have to brave another spell of rain, barely a week after the first one, due to a second cyclone that is likely to approach Gujarat and also affect the state.
- For the first time since 1965, two cyclonic storms have prevailed simultaneously — Cyclone Kyarr and Cyclone Maha — over the Arabian Sea. Cyclone Kyarr was only the second super cyclone to be formed after Cyclone Gonu in 2007.
- The Sea Surface Temperatures (SST) was higher than normal over the Arabian Sea since October, towards the culmination of the southwest monsoon season.
- Generally, such higher SSTs favour the formation of ocean systems like depression that can, over a short period of time, intensify into cyclones or super cyclones while at sea.
SCO joint exercise
Why in news?
- Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah will inaugurate the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Joint Exercise on Urban Earthquake Search and Rescue (SCOJtEx-2019)
News in detail
- On the initiative of Government of India, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is hosting SCOJtEx-2019.
- It is being organized with the aim to provide an opportunity to enhance the coordination and co-operation involving multi-agency operations in an earthquake scenario.
- The four day long simulation exercise shall be held from 4-7 November, 2019 at Delhi.
- The participants of all 08 member countries namely China, India, Kazakhastan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan shall be participating in this exercise.
- The four day long simulation exercise shall be conducted as per the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) methodology & guidelines.