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Creative Guidance – Comfort Vs Effort – Inspirational & Educative Articles

Comfort Vs Effort: Our life is a combination of all the choices we make. We are determined more by our choices than by anything else. To choose what is right and enduring; to choose right action and effort over comfort and momentary pleasure is the real challenge. Every moment of our lives we are confronted with the choice of experiencing momentary pleasure or working towards enduring success. The ones who choose to sacrifice their momentary happiness to seek the vision of larger good and impact are the ones who will lead the way for others. If given a choice, all of us would want to choose comfort over effort. It is not very difficult to imagine how our lives would unfold if we are seeking comfort all the time. There are very few differentiating factors between people; choosing between comfort and effort is the most significant difference of all. Let us make the choices that put us on the path of learning, growth and impact. Let us sacrifice the momentary pleasure to seek the everlasting happiness of realizing our inner vision. Let us move towards effort, action, sacrifice and hard work. Let us learn to say no to comfort and say yes to effort. The choice between comfort and effort cannot be made once and forgotten. It is a choice that we face every single moment of our lives and it is a decision we have to make all the time. When we are aware and alert to our thought process and our surroundings we can easily recognize how our time is wasted in seeking comfort. The more alert we are, the easier it is to identify those activities that are taking us away from effort. This momentary alertness will help us to make the right choices towards right action. Alertness makes it infinitely easier to see how we are spending each moment and what changes we need to make in order to move towards our goals. Who wouldn’t want to watch a cricket match or a movie all day; who wouldn’t want to sleep for as long as they want and wake up only when they want to! Everybody seeks comfort, only a few fight it to put the necessary effort to reach to their goals. Success is no rocket science; it is a simple combination of vision, effort and sacrifice. No amount of gyan will help us to succeed, if we are not willing to understand the difference between comfort and effort and make the right choice. “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”  

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 25th February, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 25th February 2017 Archives NATIONL TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes Right to education: Need of proper implementation It’s been eight years since the Right to Education Act, 2009, came into force. The RTE Act has been touted to be a landmark legislation that seeks to realise the fundamental right to education for all children in the age group of 6-14 years. Yet it is being perceived as an ill-drafted and poorly implemented legislation. Many schools in country still suffer from lack of adequate drinking water facilities, playgrounds or the necessary infrastructure prescribed by the Act. There still exists cases of corporal punishment which has been banned by RTE. The learning outcomes which are the indicators of quality of classroom instruction, have been found to be badly low. Thus, it shows that bureaucratic apathy and weak institutional mechanisms are some factors that have contributed to poor and less significant implementation of the Act. However, there is relatively unexamined indicator of how the law has worked is its contestation in courts. Litigation and RTE While studying cases in the High Courts and the Supreme Court from 2010 to 2015 which directly affected rights of a child under the RTE Act by a research centre, it was observed that some provisions of the Act are more litigated than the others. More litigated issues As much as 49% cases on the RTE Act have dealt with questions of access to education. The reasons for this may be denial of admission, fixing age-limits for admission to a particular class, transfer of students from one school to another, and conducting screening tests at the time of admission. Thus, they feature prominently in the priorities of litigants. Further, out of the total disputes settled, almost 24% exclusively refer to Section 12(1)(c) of the Act, which mandates all non-minority, unaided private schools to reserve 25% seats for children belonging to economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups. The denial of admission by private schools, delayed reimbursement by State governments to private schools, ambiguity over definitions of ‘economically weaker sections’ and ‘disadvantaged groups’ are some of the most prominent issues that have arisen in relation to this provision. There have been several cases of unaided private schools fighting with State governments over their perceived autonomy vis-à-vis obligations outlined in the RTE Act. Other issues included the applicability of the RTE Act to minority schools, applicability of the no-detention policy to private schools, and the definition of ‘neighbourhood’ for admission into ‘neighbourhood schools’. While some of these issues are yet to be resolved by the court, others are yet to be enforced by schools themselves. It is still unclear if all unaided private schools and some specified government schools are prohibited from conducting admission tests/interviews, as a recent MHRD order significantly weakens this ban. Further, many private schools continue to charge donations from children, despite it being illegal under the RTE Act. Less litigated issues The provisions which are relatively less litigated are facilities for disabled students prescribed under the Act. They account merely 5% of the total litigation. The provisions mandating basic facilities and adequate infrastructure in schools constitute 11% of the total disputes settled under the RTE Act. It has been observed that fewer litigants seem to have approached courts for relief over infrastructural norms and availability of qualified teachers as required under the RTE Act. However it does not mean that these norms are better implemented than more litigated ones. These provisions impose positive obligations on States for implementing the RTE Act and, therefore, must be progressively realised as it may not be high priority for litigants who are generally individual parents. The provisions on banning corporal punishment and prescription of pupil-teacher ratio in classrooms have not been contested at all, even though circumstantial evidence and news reports suggest clear violations of these. Limitations of judiciary From the above types and frequency of litigations, it appears that the RTE Act remains under-enforced. The courts are usually demand-driven and give priority to issues that are brought forward by litigants. Hence, they still don’t have the opportunity to go beyond injunctions and focus on long-term reliefs involving systemic reform. In very few cases, the courts have formulated monitoring mechanisms to ensure timely implementation of their orders. However in some cases the court’s interventions were instrumental in the implementation of the Act. For instance, courts directed the Gujarat and Telangana governments to implement key provisions of the Act, including section 12(1)(c). This happened as late as in 2015. Conclusion- Proposed reforms The judiciary is expected to play a significant role in enforcing the RTE Act. Courts have been acting and have to continue to act as first port of call in the absence of proper statutory bodies and grievance redressal mechanisms. However, it is imperative that judicial efforts be supplemented by building awareness and strengthening grievance redressal mechanisms under the RTE Act. This will lead to saving of litigation costs as well as remove the barriers to secure rights for parents and their children. Side by side, strategic litigation across High Courts should also be explored, for pushing implementation of the RTE Act by state governments. In a PIL filed in 2014 by National Coalition for Education in SC, it pointed out that at least 3.77 crore children between the age of 6 to14 years were not in schools. It also highlighted sluggish implementation of the RTE Act, leading the Supreme Court to direct all states and union territories to respond to these issues. Thus, more such efforts by civil society organisations will be useful in getting targeted judicial orders for the effective implementation of the Act. RTE is here to stay as its focus on educating all children is core objective of a developing India. Now the executive has to strengthen education delivery mechanisms and summon necessary political will to implement Act. Simultaneously, judiciary will continue hold government accountable and ensure the Act’s enforcement. Connecting the dots: What are the key provisions of RTE Act? Critically analyse its present implementation status.   Renewable Energy TOPIC: General Studies 3 Infrastructure: Energy Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Solar Energy - Potential & Significance Introduction India as a tropical country and has significant solar energy potential. This has been less exploited in years till date.  India can do much more to increase solar power capacity and meet its renewables target. Issue: The clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for a plan to double the capacity of solar power installed in dedicated solar parks to 40 gigawatts by 2020, with partial government fiscal assistance, is in line with the goal of creating a base of 100 gigawatts by 2022. Expansion of solar power capacity is among the more efficient means to meet the commitment to keep carbon emissions in check under the Paris Agreement on climate change. It can provide the multiplier effect of creating additional employment, with overall economic dividends. As the International Renewable Energy Agency notes in its report titled REthinking Energy 2017: Accelerating the global energy transformation, Globally, jobs in solar energy have witnessed the fastest growth since 2011 among various renewable energy sectors. Asia has harnessed the potential the most, providing 60% of all renewable energy employment, while China enjoys the bulk of this with a thriving solar photovoltaic and thermal manufacturing industry, besides installations. Apart from measures to scale up generating capacity, India should take a close look at competitive manufacturing of the full chain of photovoltaics and open training facilities to produce the human resources the industry will need in the years ahead. Renewables and new energy storage technologies are on course to overshadow traditional fossil fuel-based sources of power as the costs decline. Challenges and Opportunities: Low-cost financing channels hold the key to quick augmentation of solar generating capacity. The trend in some emerging economies, including India, has been a reduction in public financing of renewable energy projects over the last five years. This has implications for equity in the long run, and electricity regulators should fix tariffs taking into account the reduction in the levelised cost of electricity (the average break-even price over a project’s lifetime). Yet, recourse to other funding options, including regulated debt instruments such as green bonds, would be necessary to achieve early, ambitious targets. Without realistic purchase prices, utilities could resort to curtailment of renewable power sources on non-technical considerations, affecting investments. Tamil Nadu, a solar leader in the country, resorted to curtailments last year, a phenomenon that has perhaps muted industry interest in its recent 500 MW tender. The funding mix for renewables, therefore, should give climate financing an important role. At the Paris UN Climate Change Conference, developed countries pledged to raise $100 billion a year by 2020 for mitigation, and more in later years, a promise that needs to be vigorously pursued. Conclusion Besides promoting phase two of the solar parks plan, and powering public facilities such as railway stations and stadia using solar power, the Centre should put in place arrangements that make it easier for every citizen and small business to adopt rooftop solar. This is crucial to achieving the overall goal of 100 GW from this plentiful source of energy by 2022, and to raise the share of renewables in the total energy mix to 40 per cent in the next decade. Connecting the dots: In light of Sustainable Development Goals 1015-30 and India’s agenda w.r.t. Solar energy illustrate the potential of solar energy in India. Critically analyse the ambitious targets of the government and the challenges in this regard. MUST READ Betraying the oath Hindu   Shining bright Hindu   Moral economy of a university Hindu   Cat lessons Indian Express   No proof required: Jaywalking at the RBI Indian Express  

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 24th February, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 24th February 2017 Archives SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TOPIC: General Studies 3 Science and Technology‐ developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano‐technology, bio‐technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights. Exoplanets and NASA’s achievements Introduction Space Science has been an unbound field of exploration. It involves many such unexplained wonders that have been cause of enquiry and experimentation. Developments in the field have eased life in multiple manners from communication to life changing telemedicine and tele-education like experiences. Issue: The quest to find life outside the solar system got a big boost with thediscovery of seven Earth-size extra-solar planets, or exoplanets, orbiting a dwarf star about 40 light years away. Unlike earlier discoveries of exoplanets, all seven planets could possibly have liquid water — a key to life as we know it on Earth — with three planets having the greatest chance. This is by far the largest collection of Earth-like planets in the habitable ‘Goldilocks’ zone of a star — neither too close nor too far from a star, which raises the possibility of liquid water being present on the surface. Only Earth has liquid water in the solar system. Less than a year after scientists announced the discovery of three planets orbiting the dwarf star, the team found four more through intense searches using several ground-based telescopes, including a 20-day continuous monitoring using the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Spitzer Space Telescope. Since the dwarf star is much cooler than the Sun, the dimming of light each time a planet passes or transits before the star could be easily recorded from Earth unlike in cases when planets transit a Sun-like bright star. Since the initial discovery of three planets was made using the Chile-based Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope, the exoplanet system is called TRAPPIST-1. Unlike in the case of our solar system, the planets have apparently formed far away from the star and gradually migrated towards it; they share a similar formation history with the Galilean moons, which migrated towards Jupiter after formation. Another major difference in comparison with the solar system is the tight packing of the seven planets around the star. The closest planet in the TRAPPIST-1 system takes just 1.5 days to complete an orbit and the farthest one takes 20 days; the orbital period of the planets is also similar to the Galilean moons. Significance: With a fair possibility of liquid water being present on at least three planets, the focus is now on deciphering the climate and chemical composition of their atmosphere. As a first measure, scientists are keen to know if the planets are Earth-like, by ruling out the presence of hydrogen gas enveloping them. Mass estimates already suggest that the inner six planets might have a rocky composition, while the one with a low density may have a volatile composition due to the presence of an ice layer or atmosphere. The composition of the atmosphere can be identified by measuring the wavelength characteristics of light. Since the TRAPPIST-1 system is close by and the star is cool enough, it would be easier to decipher the various critical features of the planets. If there is life on these planets, we would know this in about 10 years. The search for extraterrestrial life has just become more focused. Conclusion Spirit of enquiry and questioning has ensured life evolving on earth. This has further lead to increased understanding of extra terrestrial elements and life beyond. In this light the discovery of NASA holds high relevance. The discovery of seven exoplanets makes the search for extraterrestrial life more exciting Connecting the dots: In light of discovery of NASA how important does extra terrestrial life and activities are for life on earth? Discuss.   ETHICS TOPIC: General Studies 4 Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen's Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption. Tackling political corruption Background: While writing a separate order for restoring AIADMK Secretary’s conviction and four-year jail term, the SC judge also highlighted the menace of corruption in public life and said it evolves from “moral debasement” of people. The order said that - Corruption is an insatiable vice for self-aggrandisement by the corrupt. They take unfair advantage of their power and authority, and those in public office also, in breach of the institutional norms, mostly backed by threatening loyalists. Thus, both the corrupt and the corruptor are indictable and answerable to the society and the country as a whole. The order also underlined that corruption by people’s representatives is not only in breach of the oath of office but also in defiance of the undertaking to work for society. Political corruption Corruption in high places is a malaise that is easy to diagnose but difficult to cure. Even when the corrupt are accused before a court, top politicians often pay their way through legal battles, and spend little or no time in detention. The conviction of AIADMK Secretary is a significant marker in India’s legal and political history and there no denying that the judgment has strengthened confidence in the justice delivery system. Yet, political corruption still has stronghold in India. The major cause of concern is weakening of political body and law governing the land. People in high office are not innately corrupt but they become so because the system gives them An elevated sense of their worth Opportunity Despite the pride in regular elections being conducted, the biggest source of corruption are also the elections. The proceeds of corruption finds its way into funding election campaigns. Even the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution, 2001 noted that “electoral compulsions for funds become the foundation of the whole superstructure of corruption”. Budget and need for transparency Union FM announced four steps to increase transparency in the funding A ceiling of Rs. 2,000 on the amount of cash donation that a political party can receive from one person. Political parties are entitled to receive donations by cheque or digital mode from their donors. A new scheme of electoral bonds. Every political party will have to file income tax returns within the prescribed time limit in order to enjoy tax exemption. These steps are expected to bring transparency and accountability in political funding while preventing future generation of black money as per government. Political funding Union FM stated about government’s intention to tackle opacity in collection of funds by political parties while presenting the budget. There is a proposal to bring down anonymous or unnamed cash donations by individuals to political parties from the current Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 2,000. In doing so, the finance ministry accepted the recommendation of the Election Commission, which had proposed prohibiting “anonymous contributions above or equal to the amount of Rs. 2,000”. Though there is no constitutional or statutory prohibition on receipt of anonymous donations by political parties, yet under Section 29C of the RPA 1951, political parties have to declare all donations above Rs. 2,000. Once necessary laws are made, all political parties will have to mandatorily maintain names and address of donors who contribute amounts above Rs. 2,000. However, EC’s recommendation that no party should be allowed to receive more than Rs. 20 crore or 20% of its overall donations from anonymous sources has yet not been heeded. True transparency in political funding will only be visible when there are no anonymous donations. Electoral bonds The budget has also proposed an electoral bonds scheme, under which donations would be allowed to be made to political parties by purchasing electoral bonds from authorized banks. For it, the government would frame a scheme and an amendment would also be made to RBI Act. Each electoral bond, not elector, will require a serial number which will have to be entered into bank registers along with the names of the donors. If such a register does not exist, unscrupulous political parties could print bogus electoral bonds akin to the fake stamp paper racket and fake security bonds. It is also a good option to opt for state-funding of election expenses, however, paucity of funds with state is a major limitation for this option. Conclusion Corruption is a result of failure of balance of power. Power in the system has been now so extremely concentrated that governments have become unresponsive and corrupt. Today, the politics has become so divisive and toxic that everything becomes “suspect”. It is well known that almost all business houses seek a favour from the government of the day. Hence, the anonymity induces moral timidity and financial trickery. Thus, more teeth should be given to the anti-corruption bodies such as Lokpal and Vigilance Commission, more fast-track courts should be opened for timely and effective justice. Transparency in public life is a much-desired goal. For it, new norms of a level playing field will need to be institutionalized. For a stable, just and ideal social order as envisaged by our forefathers, every citizen has to be a partner in the process. Connecting the dots: What is the meaning of political corruption? How is it generated? What are the consequences of such corruption and how to mitigate and finally eradicate it? Explain in detail. MUST READ Should triple talaq be outlawed? Hindu   In spite of the faultlines Indian Express   The dark underbelly of India’s healthcare industry Indian Express   The reality of the India-China strategic dialogue Livemint   The GST: so far so good, but not good enough Livemint   Ground zero Business Line   Courting justice for the right to education Business Line  

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 125]

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 125] Click here to get all the Tests– Archives Q.1) The term ‘Goldilocks Zone’ is often seen in the news in the context of the limits of habitable zone above the surface of the Earth regions inside the Earth-like planets in outer space search for the Earth-like planets in outer space search for meteorites containing precious metals Q.2) Which one of the following is the best description of ‘INS BETWA’, that was in news recently? Corvette Frigate Destroyer Nuclear powered aircraft carrier Q.3) Poland is bordered by which of the following? Slovenia Baltic Sea Czech Republic Lithuania Select the correct code: 2, 3 and 4 1, 3 and 4 1, 2 and 3 All of the above Q.4) Arun – III hydroelectric project is being developed as Storage hydroelectric Pumped-storage hydroelectric Offshore hydroelectric Run-of-river hydroelectric Q.5) Dollu Kunita is a drum dance of Maharashtra Karnataka Odisha Goa Download the Solution- Click here All the best IASbaba

AIR

All India Radio - Indo-US Major Strategic Partnership

Indo-US Major Strategic Partnership ARCHIVES Search 9th December 2016 here http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora. The outgoing defence secretary of India termed India and US as close partners. He also acknowledged the fact that India and US share many bonding threads — India being a rising military power and also sharing democratic multilateralism. Thus, India and US are destined to be strategic partners in future. Despite Obama administration leaving office in a month, it made sure that ties with India remained strong as change of administration should not affect the ongoing partnership. During 1991 when USSR disintegrated, India was provided an opportunity to expand its relations with the west. In 2000 during the Clinton visit or signing of Indo-US civil nuclear deal in 2005, the Indo-US relations have been on growth trajectory. The Obama administration even acknowledged India-US relations as defining partnership of 21st There is a bipartisan consensus on positive and diversified relationship with India in US. Whether republican or democratic government, the relationship has been ever increasing. Similar case is observed with India’s political approach where any government comes to power, in last two decades, friendship with US has been maintained. Thus there is inherent logic of stronger India-US relationship irrespective of any party in power in field of defence, trade, investments, strategic cooperation etc. Recently there was agreement in the Congress to implement the decision to designate India as trusted and favoured defence partner. The meaning of the new status is that US has accorded same importance to India as it is there for NATO members and its allies. Relationship with new administration There have been incessant speculation about President Trump and his policy approaches. It has to be understood that election campaigns are never policy directives. Hence, not much should be taken at face value. With trump administration, there is uncertainty as the President has been a businessman and has not held any position in government. For India, one negative repercussion could be changes in H1-B visa rule which pertains to Indian IT industry. However, no drastic policy changes are expected as American businesses themselves will suffer. The competitiveness of US industry depends on presence of Indian companies and professionals. But, Trump’s policy approach towards China, Pakistan, Russia, TPP agreement, Pivot to Asia has to be closely monitored. Future of the relation Many initiatives are being taken between two countries on diverse issues. Number of groups are working on defence and technical collaborations. One of it is Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI). This shows that India and US no longer share the transactional buyer-seller relation. But now it has upgraded to have an element of manufacturing of components in India which includes manufacturing of jet engines, part manufacturing of guns, buying of helicopters etc. India has highest number of military exercise with US- in water, on sea, in air, on mountainous and dessert terrains etc. In addition to it, there have been attempts to make the relationship trilateral with having joint exercise like Malabar (India-US-Japan) and also with Australia. Conclusion From 2005 where there was no exchange between two countries, today US is second largest supplier of defence equipment to India amounting to USD 15 billion. With vision statements such as ‘Chalein Sath Sath- forward together we go’ and ‘Sanjha Prayas, Sab Ka Vikas’ India and US are galloping towards a stronger partnership in the world today. Connecting the dots: India and US share a strong defence relationship in the changing global order. Critically analyse.

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 23rd February, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 23rd February 2017 Archives NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 1 Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies. General Studies 2 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health. Old aged and elderly problems in India Introduction India has the highest demographic dividend it is said. Meanwhile it also true that the young population is ageing and it is time we take adequate measures to cater to their needs in all aspects from health care, infrastructure and social understanding. Issue: While India’s celebrated demographic dividend has for decades underpinned its rapid economic progress, an equally counter force may offset some of the gains from having a relatively young population: Rapid ageing at the top end of the scale. This is a cause of deep concern for policymakers as India already has the world’s second largest population of the elderly, defined as those above 60 years of age. As this 104-million-strong cohort continues to expand at an accelerating pace, it will generate enormous socio-economic pressures as the demand for healthcare services and tailored accommodation spikes to historically unprecedented levels. It is projected that approximately 20% of Indians will be elderly by 2050, marking a dramatic jump from the current 6%. However, thus far, efforts to develop a regime of health and social care that is attuned to the shifting needs of the population have been insufficient. While more mature economies have created multiple models for elder care, such as – Universal or widely accessible health insurance, Networks of nursing homes Palliative care specializations. It is hard to find such systemic developments in India. Actions needed: Experts also caution that as the proportional size of the elderly population expands, there is likely to be a shift in the disease patterns from communicable to non-communicable, which itself calls for re-gearing the health-care system toward “preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative aspects of health”. Advocacy and information campaigns may be necessary to redirect social attitudes toward ageing, which often do not help the elderly enjoy a life of stability and dignity. As highlighted in ‘Uncertain Twilight’, (a four-part series in The Hinduon the welfare of senior citizens), the ground realities faced by the elderly include abandonment by their families, destitution and homelessness, inability to access quality health care, low levels of institutional support, and the loneliness and depression associated with separation from their families. Indian Scenario: On the one hand, the traditional arrangements for the elderly in an Indian family revolve around care provided by their children. According to the National Sample Survey Organisation’s 2004 survey, nearly 3% of persons aged above 60 lived alone. The number of elderly living with their spouses was only 9.3%, and those living with their children accounted for 35.6%. However, as many among the younger generation within the workforce are left with less time, energy and willingness to care for their parents, or simply emigrate abroad and are unable to do so, senior citizens are increasingly having to turn to other arrangements. In the private sector, an estimated demand for 300,000 senior housing units, valued at over $1 billion, has led to a variety of retirement communities emerging across the country, in addition to innovations in healthcare delivery for this group. Yet the poor among the elderly still very much depend on the government to think creatively and come up with the resources and institutions to support their needs. Conclusion It is therefore important that a holistic policy action is designed and implemented at all levels. Further a well oiled structure should be in place for ensuring accountability in all aspects from health care, social dwelling and raising awareness in the society. Hence India needs to prepare to avoid a demographic disaster. Connecting the dots: As important it is to leverage a ‘Young India’ more important it is to plan for an ‘Ageing India’. Critically analyse the current policy atmosphere for old aged in India and necessary reforms to ensure there is ageing with dignity. ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General Studies 3 Disaster and disaster management. Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment Chennai Oil spill- Environment loses to bureaucracy Background: On January 28 2017, two cargo ships collided off the Ennore coast in Kamarajar Port causing oil to spill into the sea. Though the contents of the ship’s cargo- LPG, spirit oil and diesel remained intact, the engine oil leaked out of the damaged ship. This Spill has caused pollution along the beach as well as threat to marine life. Due to wave action and the southern current, the spill spread some 34 km in the ocean. It has been already three weeks post the disaster which has exposed the lacuna in the State's disaster recovery mechanism, lack of transparency and coordination. However, many volunteers helped to clean the beach of oil spill. The poor response After the accident, KPL delayed action and the response was utterly inadequate. There was no information about the spill in the public domain. Despite whatever the probe reports say, had response mechanisms swung into action, the oil spill could have been contained. On the contrary, Kamarajar Port officials issued a press release stating that “there is no damage to the environment like oil pollution and no casualty or injury to persons.” This led to loss of precious time in cleaning the oil spill. In addition to it, they did not even reveal the actual quantity of oil spill leading to miscalculations in covering the area to contain the oil spill. The authorities should have acted immediately to contain the disaster — not act immediately to contain the damage to their reputations when a disaster happens. Environmental damage The marine life along Ennore coast has been disastrously affected. Bunker oil is heavy oil. With weight and density, it will become like a tar ball, and sink to the sea bottom and settle on the sea bed. This will restrict the oxygen supply to marine life. Once fishes come into contact with the oil, their respiratory system will get affected and they will die. In addition to fishes, Olive Ridley turtles nest along the coast in Chennai, and also from Ennore to Pulicat are now facing threats. While the biggest dangers turtles face are from trawling nests — the oil spill is likely to cause major problems too. Turtles need to come up to the surface to breathe while in the sea. Sometimes, they ingest surface water while taking in air. The present water contains toxic oil which hey will ingest, ultimately leading to their death. The surface oil will be carried by currents and it will get deposited on floating seaweed. Young turtles live in the seaweed, which act as a shelter for them. Hatchlings are also known to swallow little particles in the water. While some news reports talk of bioremediation being carried out by experts, the sludge is reported to have a heavy concentration of nine heavy materials such as zinc, lead and arsenic which are non-biodegradable and cannot be removed by bioremediation. These will remain in the ecosystem for the foreseeable future, poisoning marine life all the way up the food chain and causing irreparable damage to humans as well as to the marine ecosystem. What is unexpected is that the oil spill has spread till Mamallapuram, about 60 km south of Ennore. It is also now reported that the slick has spread to Cuddalore in the south, will soon reach the Pichavaram mangroves and then northwards to affect the Pulicat mangroves. Picture credit: http://mangrovesocietyofindia.in/tamilnadu.jpg Livelihood hurt Loss in fish catch and polluted fishes has led to loss of livelihood of the fishermen. Due to the oil spill, nobody has gone out to fish. Labourers who are dependent on the fish trade, who used to make Rs. 400-500 a day, are hardly making Rs. 50. This has created problems for the family to survive. In a response to it, children might be expected to work to meet ends. NGT Judgement In a Landmark NGT judgement — Samir Mehta vs the Union of India — in the aftermath of the sinking of MV Rak off the Mumbai coast, it was observed that “an oil spill has significant negative impacts on marine ecology, particularly on the aquatic community. Impact of immediate nature includes the mortality of different animal species, both microscopic and macroscopic invertebrates like molluscs, arthropods, echinoderms, etc. and vertebrates, especially fish. Long-term impact includes changes in the community structure caused mainly by changes in physiological and biological behaviour of different species in the community due to differential impact of the oil spill.” Administrative responsibility The Ministry of Defence promulgated the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan in 1996. The Indian Coast Guard has been demanding, for over 20 years now a State contingency plan from States. Despite all States being asked to come up with a contingency plan, only a few have complied, as there seems to be no compulsion or obligation to submit a plan. Recently, the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority requested all the Port Trusts to prepare a Comprehensive Oil Spill Management Plan to detect the oil spill for their areas since none of the Ports have a Comprehensive Oil Spill Management Plan, which is in consonance with the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan of the Ministry of Shipping and Surface Transport, Government of India In fact, many of the officers involved in the clean-up operation and the whole oil spill privately admitted that this was the first time they were dealing with such a problem. While it was a learning exercise for them, it also exposed the lack of preparedness to deal with oil spills. Still many questions remain unanswered such as how much oil has actually been spilled into the sea when initial claim was just one to two tonnes, the Coast Guard put the figure at more than 20 tonnes and a report on the investigation to find out who was at fault and what action needs to be taken. This will still take considerable time though. There should be transparency about disaster-related information, especially details regarding the current status of the spill, or precautions the public needs to take which ought to have been widely disseminated by any responsible administration. Health hazards Many people, who were involved in the clean-up operations, reported skin allergies and minor injuries. The skin allergies were due to the oil, while the minor injuries were from volunteers slipping on the oil-coated rocks. Bunker oil is more toxic than crude oil. It has heavy hydrocarbons, polycyclic aeromatic hydrocarbons – these are toxic compounds and could have an adverse impact on health. It is carcinogenic The volunteers have also complained of breathing problems. It was more worrying that there was lack of adequate safety equipment provided to those in the clean-up operations. Thus, the negligence of owners and authorities led to difficulties faced by humans and animals alike for no fault of theirs. IASbaba’s views The oil spill is destroying marine life, livelihoods and causing permanent damage to biodiversity. The massive ramifications of the act has been sidelined by the state as well as media to focus more on the political developments happening in state. This shows the cruel irony which allowed responsible to escape attention and accountability. Instead of authorities announcing that the spill containment work has been almost completed, they should be truthful in their work and allow containment and damage control until the damage is contained. The public needs to know how much damage has occurred, where and whether the damage continues, the safety precautions to be taken and till when. Transparency in work and sharing of information honestly is the very least that the public expects from its governments. The guilty must be brought to books and culpable owners/crew should be severely penalised. It must ultimately be ensured that the polluters pay an exemplary price for their mistake. Ordinary citizens have the power to move the government with their concerted and determined effort as seen in Chennai recently and this is the right cause for which citizens have to come together and force accountability and action from the authorities. Connecting the dots: How does oil spill affect the biodiversity? Enumerate certain oil spill incidences of world in past which affected significantly to marine and human life. MUST READ A foreign policy of cruel populism Hindu   A pit stop to change attitudes Hindu   Court self-corrects Indian Express   Learn the lesson Indian Express   Free trade is good, for the poor too Livemint   Isro has impressed; now for policy innovation Livemint   Collaborate and conquer Business Line  

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 124]

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 124] Click here to get all the Tests– Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements about Mycorrhiza It is a symbiotic association between bacterial micro-organism and roots of plants It is used as a biofertiliser The shelf life of mycorrhiza biofertiliser is higher than rhizobium Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above  Q.2) Petrology is concerned with Rocks Petrol Fluid dynamics Dinosaurs Q.3) Consider the following statements about Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) The scheme is for boys and girls between the ages of 10-19 years Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has developed a National Adolescent Health Strategy in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to guide the implementation of this programme Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Consider the following statements about National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSCFDC) It is an institution under Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment for financing, facilitating and mobilizing funds for the economic empowerment of persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes families living below Double the Poverty Line It finances income generation schemes for the target group through the State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs) nominated by respective State/UT Governments. It provides concessional finance for setting up of self-employment projects and skill-training grants to unemployed SC persons living below Double the Poverty Line Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above  Q.5) Which of the following corporates is associated with Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment? National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC) National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above  Download the Solution- Click here All the best IASbaba

AIR

All India Radio - Heart of Asia Conference

Heart of Asia Conference ARCHIVES Search 4th December 2016 here http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests Heart of Asia Conference Heart of Asia Ministerial conference promotes regional stability, security in central Asia and South Asia. The conference also brings greater regional representatives from both public and private sector where the discussion of development in war-torn Afghanistan takes place. It was established in 2011 to promote a platform to discuss regional issues, particularly political, economic and security cooperation of Afghanistan and its neighbours. Picture credit: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w2We7rsjOvo/UXyiJHPYC2I/AAAAAAAAAFI/Re9E67GDrLE/s1600/afghanistan+++Google+Maps.png Importance It is known as Heart of Asia Istanbul process because the initiative was taken by Turkey. The thought was that since US armed forces, NATO forces from western countries were soon going to leave Afghanistan, there was a need to provide stability, security, prosperity in Afghanistan. Hence it is the region’s responsibility to get engaged and to ensure that there is no terrorism in Afghanistan in form of Taliban or other terror groups. Thus it is an important platform where regional countries get together. There are 14 member countries which fulfil important purpose in promoting development, stability and security in Afghanistan. The special emphasis of this conference is education, disaster management, drug trafficking, terrorism and counter-terrorism, connectivity through Afghanistan- connecting South Asia to central Asia. These are significant aspects of what needs to be done. Once the forces have left, the first challenge that confronts regional countries and international community is to provide security and safety in the region. The biggest challenge in fulfilling it is confronting terrorism. Thus, all the countries have to get together and take concrete and concerted action against terrorism. Focus on Afghanistan To promote peace, economic development is sine qua non. Focus on economic development will be significant when the target is to develop education and skill development. Afghanistan had been confronting drug issue for a long time. It is also dealing with menace of drug cultivation of poppy and its processing which is another area which needs utter consideration. The connectivity within the region is critical. The choice of Amritsar as place of conference is powerful and democratic because Pakistan does not provide connectivity either by rail or road from Afghanistan to India or vice versa. So rather than hosting conference in Delhi, hosting it on border city gives strong message that to promote security and stability in Afghanistan, connectivity is very essential. It aims for greater inter regional cooperation like economic cooperation programme which is working on cross border transport agreement between Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan, Afghanistan-Pakistan transit trade agreement, Black Sea corridor initiative, Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline project etc. The Amritsar conference theme is – ‘Addressing challenges, achieving prosperity’. It will discuss peace cooperation and development. PM of India called for resolute action on not only terrorists but also those who support, shelter, train and finance terrorists in these countries. The India-Pakistan angle was not brought in as it would have let to unrequired ramifications, instead complete focus was on Afghanistan, thereby sticking to the purpose of the establishment of platform. PM also added that merely voices of support for Afghanistan against the forces of terror are not enough but action is required. Hence, there is a need to demonstrate strong collective will to defeat the terror networks that cause bloodshed and spread fear. Afghan President categorically stated that terrorism came from Pakistan. Even Bangladesh PM accused Pakistan for harbouring militants and sending them across in Bangladesh. This was the reason why other countries also boycotted SAARC conference which India refused to attend post Uri attacks. India’s role in development of Afghanistan Chabahar port is most important connectivity route from India to Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan. In later time period, India also wants rail connectivity from Chabahar to Afghanistan and from there to central Asian countries upto Russia and Eastern Europe. It is extremely significant as Afghanistan is landlocked state in a manner that its major neighbour Pakistan refuses to allow access to India. India has a growing economy, a wide market and because of lack of connectivity between Afghanistan and India, the economic relationship between both countries is not significant enough. Chabahar is not only economic project but also a geo-strategic project because it will help India to link through Iran with Afghanistan and then central Asia. This will enable India to connect itself with nations that were earlier limitedly and remotely connected. Also, Pakistan’s interference can be avoided and India can increase its influence in the region too. India on its part has been supportive of Afghanistan. To fight terrorism, India has given four military attack helicopters Mi25 which helped them when Taliban had captured kundus for some time. India has given more than two billion dollars of aid whether in social sector or in military, defence or official training or infrastructure. This conference has urged the international community to stand together to support Afghanistan in its fight against terror and in its quest for development and prosperity of its people. Connecting the dots: What is heart of Asia conference? How does it affect India’s policy towards Afghanistan and against terrorism? Examine. Related article: Heart of Asia Summit- Stabilising the heart

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