Weekly Brief 27/05/2024-3/06/2024

1.77th World Health Assembly adopts amendments to International Health Regulations 2005: the single drafting group thus established, along with WHO secretariat and member State representatives, through sheer hard work and determination completed the work of bringing consensus in the ongoing IHR amendments during the 77th assembly session period. India played a constructive role in the crafting of the Instrument, which seeks to operationalize equity, necessary for an equitable response by developing countries to Public Health Emergencies.

2. Fire regulationsA devastating fire at a gaming center in Rajkot, Gujarat, on May 25 resulted in the deaths of at least 32 people, raising serious concerns about the safety of public buildings and venues.

What fire regulations govern safety?

The Union of India emphasizes fire safety through the Model Building Bye-Laws, 2016, particularly Chapter 11, which outlines “Fire Protection and Fire Safety Requirements.” These guidelines provide a framework for State governments, who are responsible for fire safety enforcement. Compliance with fire safety norms and standards outlined in Part 4 of the National Building Code (NBC) is also mandated, with States ensuring these standards are incorporated and adhered to.

The regulations broadly define assembly buildings as any structure where 50 or more people gather for activities such as amusement, recreation, social, religious, or civic purposes. Examples include theatres, assembly halls, museums, restaurants, places of worship, and public transportation terminals. Hospitals, penal institutions, and mental health facilities fall under institutional buildings, while educational, business, industrial, and specialized structures are classified separately.

All buildings, regardless of use, must comply with fire prevention and safety standards as specified by the Fire Authority, under the Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2013. The Rajkot gaming center, built as a non-standard structure to bypass regulatory requirements, is under investigation to determine if it qualified as an assembly building.

 What can be done to enforce the law?

The Gujarat High Court’s suo motu notice calls for a government report on compliance with fire safety regulations, including the Comprehensive Development Control Regulations, fire NOCs, periodic checks under the Fire Safety Act, and issuance of licenses under various Acts. Previously, the State government reported that 163 hospitals and 348 schools within municipality jurisdictions lacked valid fire NOCs, citing challenges such as insufficient trained manpower and infrastructure.

Way Ahead:

In 2022, there were 241 fires in commercial buildings and 42 in government buildings, resulting in 257 deaths (NCRB data). Therefore, strict enforcement of the building code and Model Building Bye-Laws is crucial. Accountability from State and enforcement agencies is essential to prevent temporary and unsafe structures from posing fire hazards. Ensuring stringent regulation of such structures is vital for public safety.

2.Cyclone Remal: A cyclone is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure. Their winds spiral inward and rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

Cyclones are characterized by inward-spiraling winds that rotate about a zone of low pressure.

There are two main types of cyclones:

• Tropical cyclones are formed over warm tropical oceans. They are fueled by the heat from the ocean surface and can reach enormous strength, with winds exceeding 150 miles per hour (240 kilometers per hour). Tropical cyclones are also known as hurricanes (in the Atlantic and eastern North Pacific Oceans) and typhoons (in the western North Pacific Ocean).

• Extratropical cyclones are formed over cooler waters at higher latitudes. They are less intense than tropical cyclones, but they can still cause significant damage. Extratropical cyclones are also known as mid-latitude cyclones or temperate cyclones.

3.PREFIRE Mission: stands for Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, is a NASA initiative launched in May 2024 to study Earth's heat loss at the poles. 

Mission Objective:

• Measure the far-infrared (FIR) radiation emitted from Earth's polar regions, specifically the Arctic and Antarctica.

Importance:

• Nearly 60% of the heat Earth radiates from the Arctic escapes at far-infrared wavelengths, which haven't been extensively studied before.

• PREFIRE aims to fill this gap in our knowledge and improve understanding of Earth's energy balance, particularly at the poles.

How it Works:

• The mission utilizes two CubeSats, miniature satellites, deployed in separate orbits around the poles.

• These CubeSats carry miniaturized infrared spectrometers to measure the infrared and far-infrared radiation emitted.

Impact:

• By analyzing this data, scientists hope to:

• Better understand the role of far-infrared radiation in Arctic warming.

• Improve the accuracy of climate models used to predict changes in sea ice, ice sheets, and global weather patterns.

• Gain insights into how a warming world affects these critical aspects of our planet.

4.Samoa: officially the Independent State of Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands, Upolu and Savai'i; two smaller, inhabited islands, Manono and Apolima; and several smaller, uninhabited islands, including the Aleipata Islands.The capital is Apia, located on the island of Upolu.

Here are some interesting facts about Samoa:

• Samoa is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

• The official languages of Samoa are Samoan and English.

• The currency of Samoa is the Samoan tala.

• The population of Samoa is about 200,000 people.

• Samoa is a developing country, but it has a high standard of living.

• Rugby union is the national sport of Samoa.

India wishes Samoa the 62nd anniversary of its Independence Day today. In a social media post, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar extended his greetings to the Government of Samoa and its people. Dr Jaishankar also highlighted various co-operation initiatives between the two nations over the years, notably in the field of education, economy, culture and science and technology

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