The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill 2019

The Union government withdrew the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill 2019 from the Lok Sabha.

What is DNA technology?

DNA/Deoxyribonucleic acid is the genetic material of the cell and contains all of the instructions for cells to carry out their structure and function.

DNA technology is the study and manipulation of genetic material, which includes sequencing, analysis, and cutting-and-pasting of DNA.

Using this technology, scientists are able to manipulate DNA to study the biology of living organisms and to improve human life (treatment of diseases).

However, the technology can be abused through unauthorised access to databanks and unauthorised disclosure of information.

Background of the Bill:

First proposed in 2003 (by the Ministry of S&T), the Bill has gone through numerous changes, led by both the Department of Biotechnology and the Law Ministry, over the years.

In 2019, it was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on S&T after being introduced in the Lok Sabha.

In 2021, the panel’s report was released, which highlighted that the Bill could be misused to target segments of society based on religion, caste or political views.

About the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill:

It seeks to create a regulatory framework for obtaining, storing and testing DNA samples of human beings –

Mainly for the purposes of criminal investigations, and

With the objective of establishing the identity of a person.

The proposed law seeks to bring in a supervisory structure –

To oversee practices (already used in criminal investigations, establishment of parentage, and search for missing people), and

Frame guidelines and rules so that the DNA technology is not misused.

It also specifies –

The circumstances under which a person can be asked to submit DNA samples,

The purposes for which such requests can be made, and

The exact procedure for handling, storing and accessing these samples.

The Bill proposes to set up institutional structures:

At the national level,

DNA regulatory board: The board is proposed to be the main regulatory authority and would frame the rules and guidelines for DNA collection, testing and storage.

DNA data bank: It would be the repository of all DNA samples collected from various people under specified rules.

Regional centres of the board as well as the data bank can be set up at the state level too.

National Commission for Women (NCW)

The cases of molestation and rape of women in Manipur have brought the functioning of Women’s commissions in India into focus.

National Commission for Women (NCW):

It is a statutory body of the Government of India that was founded on January 31, 1992, by the National Commission for Women Act, 1990.

Its mandate is to:

Review the Constitutional and Legal safeguards for women;

Recommend remedial legislative measures;

Facilitate redressal of grievances and

Advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women.

Functions:

Investigate and examine all issues concerning the protection provided to women under the Constitution and other legislation.

Report on the effectiveness of those safeguards to the Central Government.

Make recommendations in such reports for the effective application of those protections.

Propose corrective legislative actions to address any flaws in laws.

Investigate complaints and take suo moto action in cases involving the denial of women’s rights.

The Manipur State Commission for Women (MSCW):

Each state also has its own commission and MSCW was constituted in 2006 as a statutory body under the Manipur State Commission for Women Act, 2006.

It is mandated to safeguard the interests of women with a wide mandate that covers all aspects of women’s development.

Major Issues around the Working of Women Commission:

Financial assistance provided to the Commissions is extremely less to cater to its needs.

Their members are appointed by the government and therefore lack the independence to work without the influence of the government.

They lack concrete legislative power. For example, its reports are only recommendatory.

Implications of the above:

These commissions at the national and state levels have become toothless tigers, failing to prioritise field visits over paperwork.

Most of the commissions are afraid to criticise the governments.

Case of Manipur:

The NCW had received a large number of complaints about the violation of women’s rights in the state.

The NCW forwarded them to the state. The state police or its other wings probably ignored the forwards or did not have time to do justice to each of them.

Way ahead:

Commissions need to be strengthened (either by giving them Constitutional status or by amending their parent laws) so that they can concentrate on providing physical, emotional, legal and psychological aid to women in distress.

Advertising the posts of chairpersons and members of these commissions.

Genuinely interested and capable individuals would then be selected by a selection committee – consisting of LoP, judges from the SC, civil society organisations, etc.

A social audit of the performance of different commissions by competent external agencies on a regular basis would give citizens an idea of their actual work.

There is a need for an increase of awareness and enlightenment especially required mainly among women in rural areas that such a commission exists to address their rights.

Issues faced by gig workers in India

A parliamentary panel has asked the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoL&E) to formulate and implement welfare schemes for gig and platform workers and unorganised sector workers at the earliest.

Why?

Since such workers do not come under the purview of the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, appropriate/ specific welfare schemes for them need to be put in place by the government.

What is a gig economy?

It is a labour market that relies heavily on temporary and part-time positions filled by independent contractors and freelancers rather than full-time permanent

Gig economy in India: According to the NITI Aayog estimates, nearly 23.5 million workers will be engaged in the gig economy by 2029.

Issues faced by gig workers:

Since the gig economy falls outside the scope of traditional, full-time employment, gig workers usually lack basic employment rights such as

Minimum wages,

Overtime pay,

Medical leave, and

A statutorily bound resolution of employer-employee disputes.

Gig workers display characteristics of both employees and independent contractors → as a result fall outside the ambit of statutory benefits under –

the Minimum Wages Act 1948, EPF Act 1952 and the Payment of Bonus Act 196 (for employees)the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970 (for contract labourers)

What is the proposed law for gig workers?

The Code on Social Security 2020, which has proposed social security schemes for gig workers and platform workers on matters relating to –

life and disability cover,

accident insurance,

health and maternity benefits,

old age protection, etc.

However, the Code is yet to come into force.

Other efforts:

A MoU has been signed between the MoL&E and the NLSIU (Bangalore) for assistance in framing a new scheme for the gig and platform workers as well as workers in the unorganised sector.

Concerns:

Out of the four new labour codes proposed, gig work finds reference only in the Code on Social Security.

Hence, they cannot create legally recognised unions and access a national minimum wage that applies to all forms of employment.

They also remain excluded from accessing the specialisedredressal mechanism against their employers.

Gig workers are excluded from the category of ‘unorganised workers’ or ‘wage workers’.

They also do not have the right to collective bargaining – a fundamental principle of modern labour law.

All the above leads to the violation of their fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 and comes within the meaning of forced labour under Article 23.

India’s ethanol push

At a G20 Energy Ministers’ meeting, the Indian PM stated that India has rolled out 20% ethanol-blended petrol this year and aims to cover the entire country by 2025.

Ethanol:

Ethanol is basically 9% pure alcohol that can be blended with petrol.

It is different from the 94% rectified spirit (having applications in paints, and pharmaceuticals) and 96% extra neutral alcohol that goes to make potable liquor.

India’s ethanol production programme: It has come a long way in the past five years, both in terms of the quantities supplied by sugar mills/distilleries to oil marketing companies (OMCs) and the raw material used.

What does it mean?

India’s ethanol programme is no longer reliant on a single feedstock or crop.

It has diversified only from molasses and cane to rice, maize and other grains as well.

Implications of diversification of feedstocks:

It will minimise supply fluctuations and price volatility on account of any one crop.

The incorporation of new feedstocks can create new demand for grains.

For example, if UP (a major sugarcane grower) and Bihar (maize) could supply rice, barley and millets to distilleries, they can “fuel India” the way Punjab, Haryana or MP “feed India”.

How was this diversification made possible?

Differential pricing:

Till 2017-18, the OMCs were paying a uniform price for ethanol produced from any feedstocks.

From 2018-19, the government began fixing higher prices for ethanol produced from B-heavy molasses and whole sugarcane juice/syrup.

This gave flexibility and incentive for mills/distilleries to use multiple feedstocks.

This has given stimulus to ethanol production, which can be seen from its all-India average blending with petrol touching 75% in 2022-23, as against 1.6% in 2013-14.

Byproduct benefits:

The liquid effluent (spent wash) generated during alcohol production in distilleries can pose serious environmental problems if discharged without proper treatment.

The new molasses-based distilleries have MEE (multi-effect evaporator) units, where the spent wash is concentrated to about 60% solids.

The concentrated wash is used as a boiler fuel along with bagasse (the fibre remaining after crushing sugarcane).

While the ethanol program has numerous benefits, there are also some concerns. Increased demand for grains for ethanol production may impact food supply and prices. Additionally, distilleries’ liquid effluent can pose environmental challenges, but advancements such as multi-effect evaporator units have enabled the utilization of spent wash as boiler fuel and the production of fertilizer and animal feed as by-products.

Fluorochemicals

Researchers at the University of Oxford have achieved a groundbreaking breakthrough by developing a new technique to produce fluorochemicals without using hazardous hydrogen fluoride (HF) gas.

What are Fluorochemicals and how are they produced?

Fluorochemicals are essential chemical compounds used in various industries, including polymers, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and lithium-ion batteries. They are known for their unique properties, including high thermal stability and resistance to chemicals.

Traditionally, fluorochemicals are produced through an energy-intensive process involving the use of hazardous hydrogen fluoride (HF) gas. HF is generated by reacting a crystalline mineral called fluorspar (CaF2) with sulfuric acid under harsh conditions. This process has safety risks and environmental consequences due to HF spills.

What is the New Method?

Inspired by the natural biomineralization process that forms teeth and bones, researchers successfully activated solid-state calcium fluoride (CaF2) through a mechanochemical process. This innovative method, named Fluoromix, allows for the direct synthesis of over 50 different fluorochemicals from CaF2 with impressive yields of up to 98%.

Significance: The new approach has the potential to enhance safety and environmental impact, streamline the supply chain, and reduce energy demands in the rapidly expanding global fluorochemical industry.