Supreme Court’s Guidelines on DNA Evidence

Source: The Hindu (TH)
Context: In the case Kattavellai @ Devakar vs. State of Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court issued uniform guidelines for the collection, preservation, and submission of DNA samples in criminal cases.

📌 What are the DNA Guidelines?
• These are a historic set of four procedural guidelines issued by the Supreme Court to ensure the authenticity, reliability, and timely handling of DNA evidence in criminal investigations.
• Though policing is a state subject, the guidelines aim to standardize the “chain of custody” across all states.

📂 The Case
Kattavellai @ Devakar vs. State of Tamil Nadu (2025) – The case involved crimes such as rape, murder, and robbery.

✅ Key Features

• Accurate Documentation:
Each DNA sample must be packaged with details such as FIR information, relevant sections of law, investigating officer, medical officer, and names of independent witnesses to ensure traceability from the beginning.

• Timely Submission (48-hour Rule):
The investigating officer must send the collected DNA sample to the forensic science laboratory within 48 hours.
→ Any delay must be justified in writing, and proper refrigeration/preservation is mandatory.

• Tamper-Proof Storage:
Once sealed, the package cannot be opened, altered, or re-sealed without explicit permission from the trial court.

• Chain of Custody Register:
A detailed record of every transfer from collection to submission in court must be maintained and signed by all responsible persons.

⚖ Judicial Precedents:
• Anil vs. State of Maharashtra (2014): The DNA profile was considered valid but dependent on the laboratory’s quality control.
• Manoj vs. State of Madhya Pradesh (2022): DNA report was rejected due to the risk of contamination when the sample was collected from an open area.
• Rahul vs. State of Delhi (2022): DNA report was rejected as the sample was stored without security in the evidence room for two months.

Manaki–Munda System

Source: The Indian Express (IE)
Context: In the Kolhan region of Jharkhand, the Ho tribe protested, alleging interference in the traditional Manaki–Munda self-governance system after some Mundas were removed from their positions.

📌 What is the Manaki–Munda System?
• It is a traditional, decentralized self-governance system practiced by the Ho tribe in the Kolhan region of Jharkhand.
• The village head (Munda) and the regional head (Manaki) work together to resolve disputes and maintain social order.

📂 Origin and History:

• Pre-British Period:
→ It was a fully community-based governance system with no external authority or land tax intervention.

• Recognition during the British Period:
→ After early Ho and Kol uprisings, the British found direct administration impractical.
→ In 1833, Captain Thomas Wilkinson codified the system into 31 rules, known as the “Wilkinson Rules.”
→ In 1837, it was implemented as part of the Kolhan Government Estate (KGE).
→ The Manaki and Munda served as intermediaries between the colonial administration and the community, preserving autonomy while integrating Kolhan into British India.

📂 How Does It Work?

• Munda:
→ The head of a village. Handles local social and political disputes at the village level.

• Manaki:
→ The head of a group of 8 to 15 villages (called a pidh). Hears appeals when disputes cannot be resolved at the Munda level.

• The system is based on local customary law rather than formal legislation and continues even after independence.

✅ Key Features:

• Hereditary Leadership:
→ Positions are passed from father to son.

• Decentralized and Community-Based:
→ Disputes are collectively resolved in structures similar to a village assembly.

• Cultural Autonomy:
→ Safeguards the identity, traditions, and land rights of the Ho tribe.

• Legal Continuity:
→ Though challenged, courts allowed the Wilkinson Rules to continue due to the absence of an alternative governance structure.

Global Plastic Pollution Crisis

Course: Pollution
Source: The Hindu (TH)
Context: Global plastic pollution is reaching alarming levels. It is estimated that by 2060, plastic waste will triple to 1.2 billion tons, posing a serious threat to ecosystems.

📌 About the Global Plastic Pollution Crisis

📊 Extent of the Crisis:
• Rapid Growth:
Between 2000 and 2019, global plastic production doubled to 460 million tons, mainly due to packaging and fast consumption patterns.

• Low Recycling Rate:
Only 9% of plastic is recycled, resulting in massive waste accumulation in landfills, rivers, and open dumps.

• Marine Disaster:
Each year, 11 million tons of plastic enter the oceans, harming marine life and contaminating the food chain.

• Spread of Microplastics:
Plastic breaks into tiny particles that enter air, water, soil, and even human blood and lungs.

• Future Outlook:
Without immediate action, the OECD estimates that plastic waste will triple by 2060, putting immense pressure on global waste management systems.

⚠ Serious Issues Caused by Plastic Pollution:
• Durability:
Plastic doesn’t decompose for hundreds of years, leading to permanent accumulation in ecosystems.

• Impact on Climate:
Plastic production and incineration account for 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, accelerating climate change.

• Threat to Biodiversity:
Turtles, seabirds, and fish ingest plastic, leading to starvation, poisoning, and reproductive issues.

• Human Health Risks:
Carcinogens and hormone disruptors in plastics mix with food and water, affecting fertility and immunity.

• Economic Burden:
Marine plastic pollution costs the fisheries, tourism, and shipping industries about $13 billion annually.

✅ Efforts Undertaken:

🌐 Global Efforts:
• UNEA-5 Treaty (2022):
193 countries agreed to negotiate a binding treaty by 2024 to eliminate plastic pollution.

• Alignment with SDGs:
Reducing plastic waste contributes to SDG-12 (Responsible Consumption), SDG-13 (Climate Action), and SDG-14 (Life Below Water).

• Circular Economy Campaign:
Promotes reuse, redesign, and recycling globally to reduce dependence on new plastic production.

🇮🇳 India’s Efforts:
• Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016/2022:
Banned certain single-use plastics and ensured producer responsibility.

• Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0:
Focuses on 100% door-to-door waste collection, segregation, and processing.

• Plastic Roads:
Over 120,000 km of roads have been constructed using waste plastic, reducing bitumen consumption and improving durability.

✅ Role in Addressing the Plastic Crisis:

👤 At the Individual Level:
• Say No to Single-Use Plastic:
Avoid disposable bags, straws, bottles, etc., to reduce daily plastic use.

• Segregate Waste:
Separate wet and dry waste for better recycling and composting.

• Be an Aware Consumer:
Choose eco-friendly packaging and brands that comply with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

🤝 At the Community Level:
• Clean-Up Drives:
Organize campaigns to clean beaches, rivers, and parks.

• Plastic Banks:
Set up local collection centers and offer incentives for returning plastic waste.

• PPP Collaboration:
Work with private recyclers and NGOs for effective local waste management.

🏛 At the Government Level:
• Strict Laws:
Enforce strict action against illegal production, sale, and use of banned plastics.

• Ensure EPR Compliance:
Direct companies to take back used packaging and meet recycling targets.

• Taxes and Incentives:
Impose landfill/incineration taxes and provide subsidies for eco-friendly packaging and research.

✅ Way Forward:

• Adopt the 6Rs:
Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Redesign—these should guide all plastic use.

• Promote Circular Economy:
Design products that can be reused and recycled without losing quality.

• Invest in Research and Development:
Support research on bio-based, compostable plastics and new recycling technologies.

• Decentralize Waste Management:
Empower panchayats and municipalities with funds and autonomy for waste management.

• Bring Behavioral Change:
Use media, influencers, and campaigns to encourage plastic-free lifestyles.

✅ Conclusion:
Plastic pollution is a human-made environmental disaster that threatens climate, health, and biodiversity. Combating it requires strong governance, industry accountability, and active citizen participation. For environmental justice and sustainable development, a plastic-free future is essential.