31th July 2024

Explanation - Being set up by the Karnataka government, the project is near Mekedatu, in

Ramanagaram district, across the river Cauvery from Tamil Nadu. Its primary objective is to

supply drinking water to Bengaluru and recharge the groundwater table in the region. Tamil

Nadu has moved the Supreme Court. Its main argument is that the project violates the final

award of the Cauvery River Water Tribunal, and that the “construction of the two reservoirs

would result in impounding of the flows in the intermediate catchment below the Krishnaraja

Sagar and Kabini reservoirs, and Billigundulu in the common border of Karnataka and Tamil

Nadu”. Karnataka says, the project will not come in the way of releasing the stipulated quantum of

water to Tamil Nadu, nor will it be used for irrigation purposes.

Explanation - Lok Adalat is one of the alternative dispute redressal mechanisms, a forum where

disputes or cases are settled or compromised amicably. In a nutshell, it is a form of party-based

(parties involved in the dispute) justice in which people and judges work together to resolve

problems by discussion, persuasion and mutual consent, in order to provide affordable and timely

justice. Every Lok Adalat organised for an area shall consist of — Serving or retired judicial

officers. Other persons as may be specified by the state/district authority or the High Court/Tehsil

legal services committee.

The persons deciding the cases in the Lok Adalats are called the Members of the Lok Adalats.

Role played by these members — They have the role of statutory conciliators only and do not

have any judicial role. This means, they can only persuade (and shall not pressurise or coerce) the

parties. As a result, the Lok Adalat will not decide the subject on its own initiative, but rather on

the basis of a compromise or settlement reached between the parties.

Lok Adalat has jurisdiction to determine and to arrive at a compromise or settlement

between the parties to a dispute in respect of - Any case pending before the court. Any matter

which is falling within the jurisdiction of and is not brought before any court for which the Lok

Adalat is organised (pre-litigation stage).

The award made by the Lok Adalats is deemed to be a decree of a civil court. Such award is

final and binding on all parties and no appeal against such an award lies before any court of

law.

Explanation - Quad - United States, India, Japan, and Australia (or “Quad”) form the four

members of the Quad. The four countries collectively launched ad hoc operations to provide

relief following the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. In Manila in 2007, the PMs of India,

Japan, and Australia met with the then U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney on the sidelines of the

ASEAN Regional Forum, marking the first Quadrilateral summit. Later in 2007, the four countries

along with Singapore held a large multilateral naval exercise, the Exercise Malabar, in the

Bay of Bengal. China, which saw the exercises as part of a containment strategy, registered

diplomatic protests with all four capitals. Late in 2012, in an influential article outlining his vision

for 'Asia’s Democratic Security Diamond', PM Shinzo Abe argued that peace, stability and

freedom of navigation in the Pacific are inseparable from peace, stability and freedom of

navigation in the Indian Ocean, and called for the four powers to work together. In November

2017, India, the US, Australia and Japan gave shape to the long-pending "Quad" Coalition to

develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence

(especially China). There is no proposal for the headquarters of Quad, as of yet.

Explanation - International Labour Organisation was established in the year 1919 by the Treaty

of Versailles as an affiliated agency of the League of Nations. It became the first affiliated 

specialised agency of the United Nations in 1946. Its headquarters is located in Geneva,

Switzerland. Objectives - It promotes internationally recognised human and labour rights. It aims

promote and realise standards and fundamental principles and rights at work; create greater

opportunities for women and men to secure decent employment; enhance the coverage and

effectiveness of social protection for all, and; strengthen tripartism and social dialogue. It has

received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969 for improving peace among classes, pursuing decent

work and justice for workers, and providing technical assistance to other developing nations. After

35 years, India has assumed the Chairmanship of the Governing Body of International Labour

Organisation, marking a new chapter in the 100 years of productive relationship between India

and ILO.

Explanation - International Labour Organisation was established in the year 1919 by the Treaty

of Versailles as an affiliated agency of the League of Nations. It became the first affiliated

specialised agency of the United Nations in 1946. Its headquarters is located in Geneva,

Switzerland.