National Current Affairs MCQs

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The Supreme Court has consistently interpreted Article 21 to include the right to a clean and healthy environment as an integral part of the right to life and personal liberty.

The 'polluter pays' principle is an environmental protection principle that states that the individuals or organizations responsible for pollution should bear the costs of managing it to prevent damage to human health or the environment.

The precautionary principle dictates that if an action or policy has a suspected risk of causing harm to the public or the environment, in the absence of scientific consensus that harm would not ensue, the burden of proof falls on those taking the action.

By encouraging innovation, the initiative seeks to develop cutting-edge digital tools and approaches to address societal challenges more effectively.

A core aspect of digital governance is the creation of unified digital platforms that allow citizens to access multiple services through a single interface.

The new digital governance initiative focuses on leveraging technology to make government services more accessible, transparent, and efficient for citizens.

The Supreme Court's interim order effectively put a temporary halt on the implementation of certain provisions of the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2023, which sought to narrow the definition of 'forest'. By directing the continued application of the Godavarman judgment's broader definition, the court ensured that a wider range of forest lands remained protected until further hearings.

The Supreme Court's interim order in February 2024 directed that the definition of 'forest' as per the T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad judgment of 1996 would continue to apply. This judgment had given a wider, dictionary meaning to 'forest', including areas not officially notified as forests but having forest-like characteristics, thus ensuring broader protection.

In February 2024, the Supreme Court issued interim directions regarding the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2023. The court directed that the 'un-amended' definition of forest, as laid down in the T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad judgment of 1996, would continue to apply, thereby upholding a broader scope of forest protection.