22 April 2015 Current Affairs
Union Cabinet Approved Amendment To Juvenile Justice Bill
The Union cabinet on 22 April approved amendment to the Juvenile Justice Bill to provide that if a heinous crime is committed by a person in the 16-18 age group, it will be examined by the Juvenile Justice Board to assess if the crime was committed as a ‘child’ or as an ‘adult’. The union cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved introduction of Amendment to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill 2014.
Rajaji Becomes Second Tiger Reserve In Uttarakhand
Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand is declared as India’s 48th Tiger Reserve after The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) granted final approval. With this announcement, Uttarakhand got its second tiger reserve after the Corbett Tiger Reserve. The notification was announced by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat while releasing logo of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve. The Rajaji National Park that came into existence in 1983 is spread across three districts of Uttarakhand namely Haridwar, Dehradun and Pauri Garhwal in an area over 820 square km. The park is a home to 315 bird species, 40 species of reptiles and fish and 400 Asian elephants. The park was named after the last Governor-General of independent India, C Rajagopalachari, popularly known as Rajaji. C. Rajagopalachari was one of the first recipients of India’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna in 1954.
International Mother Earth Day was Observed on 22 April
The world on 22 April 2015 observed the International Mother Earth Day. This day is observed with an aim of spreading awareness to protect earth’s environment. The theme selected for 2015 is “It’s our turn to lead”. International Mother Earth Day also known as Earth Day is being celebrated across the world since 1970. The first Earth Day was celebrated on 21 March 1970, the day of vernal equinox that year. The concept of observing Earth Day is the brainchild of John McConnell, who proposed the idea of a global holiday called Earth Day at a UNESCO conference on Environment in 1969. He chose the vernal equinox—the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere, the first day of autumn in the southern hemisphere—because it is a day of renewal. Vernal equinox is a day on which the night and day are of the same length, everywhere on Earth. Further the UN Secretary-General U Thant on 26 February 1971 signed a proclamation that stated that the United Nations would celebrate Earth Day annually on the Vernal Equinox as the international Earth Day. A month later, United States Senator Gaylord Nelson founded a separate Earth Day as an environmental teach-in first held on 22 April 1970.