Exam View: Brahmapuram landfill fire, issues with public policy of Kerala, Community participation,

In News: Fire at the Brahmapuram landfill site in the outskirts of Kochi, Kerala has brought up the issues of unscientific, non-sustainable and piecemeal approach towards solid waste management, not only in Kerala but across India.

Community participation:

• The Kerala Public policy does not allot responsibility to the citizens for waste management and degrading the situation of the cities.
• Since Kerala is almost continuously inhabited, all transportation channels, be it road or rail, are littered with refuse on either side and reflects the general attitude that cleaning up is someone else’s responsibility.

How Direction of Public policy in Kerala can Impact India?

• Immediate attention to controlling fire at Brahmapuram and cleaning the city of smoke and carcinogens to make it habitable.
• Responsibility for scientific treatment of garbage at the site must be fixed with Kochi Municipal Corporation, given its proximity to the action.
• Garbage segregation by households must become a condition in order for a person to reside in the city
• Adequate funding for garbage clearance should be ensured which may require revisiting the municipal taxes levied on property ownership and user rates for municipal services.
• Periodic independent review of the functioning of the garbage disposal sites, and the assessment made public.
• Public policy in Kerala in future must pivot towards conservation of natural capital by ensuring that the carrying capacity of the earth is recognized.
• Focus on consuming less and disposing of the waste in a responsible manner.

Source:

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/brahmapuram-as-a-policy-game-changer-for-kerala/article66623766.ece

In News: Recently, the government informed Parliament Banks from 18 countries have been permitted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to open Special Vostro Rupee Accounts (SVRAs) for settling payments in Indian rupees.

About

Internationalisation of Rupee is a process of increasing rupee acceptance (credibility) across the world through its increased use in invoicing and settlement of cross-border transactions.

Country Involved: Countries include Botswana, Fiji, Germany, Guyana, Israel, Kenya, Malaysia,  Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Oman, Russia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, and UK.

Benefits of Internationalisation of Rupee

• Currency risk is reduced for Indian enterprises when using the rupee in international dealings and increase the likelihood that Indian companies will expand internationally.
• The requirement for maintaining foreign exchange reserves decreases
• India becomes less susceptible to outside shocks by reducing its reliance on foreign money.
• Improved rupee acceptability and commerce would give Indian companies more negotiating leverage, allow India to diversify its trading basket and avoid western sanctions and limitations. To avoid sanctions:
• The value of the rupee will increase with its internationalization.

Challenges of Internationalisation of Money

• Having an effect on monetary policy. The country’s ability to develop a monetary strategy tailored to the needs of its regional economy will be constrained by the internationalisation of the rupee.
• It results in the Trilemma of an open economy, which states that no nation can pursue the objectives of unrestricted capital flow, stable exchange rates, and independence from external financial influence at the same time.
• Increased refinancing risk as a result of the rupee holdings of non-residents worsening the risks associated with the external stimulus that is transferred to local financial markets.
• Increased volatility of the rupee’s exchange rate (value) in the event that global inflation exceeds local inflation or as a result of unchecked capital flows.
• Increased accountability for upholding the integrity of the global financial and monetary system, or increased responsibility for acting as the “Lender of Last Resort.”

Steps Taken by the Government for Internationalisation of Rupee:

• Introduction of the Masala bonds: This initiative allowed Indian companies to raise funds from international markets in rupees, reducing their exposure to currency fluctuations and increasing the use of the rupee in international transactions.
• Setting up of International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs): In 2015, the government set up IFSCs in Gujarat and Maharashtra to promote international financial transactions denominated in Indian rupees.
• Liberalization of capital account transactions: The government has gradually liberalized capital account transactions, allowing Indian residents to invest in foreign securities and allowing foreign investors to invest in Indian markets.
• Promotion of cross-border trade in rupee: This reduces the dependence on foreign currencies and promotes the use of the rupee in international transactions.
• Bilateral currency swap arrangements: These agreements promote the use of the rupee in international transactions and increase its acceptability as a global currency.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rbi-has-allowed-banks-from-18-countries-to-trade-in-rupee-government-in-rajya-sabha/article66619943.ece

In News: In response to the writ petition that sought a ban on all caste based political rallies, Election Commission of India (ECI) responded that it does not have the jurisdiction to restrict such rallies during non-election period or ban such parties.

About the powers of ECI:

• ECI submitted that while it had the power to register political parties under Section 29A of RPA, 1951, once a political party is registered, there is no provision for review of the registration or for the cancelling the registration of any political party on any ground including the violation of its undertaking under Section 29A (5).
• EC, however, cited the Supreme Court’s 2002 judgement to note that there are only three exceptions under which it can review the registration of a political party.
  1. Cases where the political party in question has obtained registration through fraud or forgery.
  2. Cases where party changes its nomenclature of association, rules and regulation abrogating the provisions therein conforming to the provisions of Section 29A (5) or intimating the Commission that it has ceased to have faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India or to the principles of socialism, secularism and democracy, or it would not uphold the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.

• Cases where no enquiry is called for on the part of the Commission such as, in cases where a registered political party had been declared unlawful by the Union government under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or any other similar law.

• ECI submitted that its Model Code of Conduct prescribes prohibition on electioneering along communal lines, or seeking votes on the basis of caste, creed, or religion. However, these rules cannot be enforced during the non-election period

Source:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ec-tells-allahabad-hc-it-does-not-have-power-to-ban-caste-rallies-by-parties-in-non-election-period/article66615431.ece

In News: The Union government has scaled up its right-to-repair initiative to cover four sectors namely consumer durables, electronic devices, automobiles and farm equipment, onboarding leading brands to a unified portal.

About Right to Repair:

• Research shows that when tech products falter, most consumers replace them with newer ones because fixing faulty devices reliably is difficult and expensive.
• India is estimated to have generated 5 million tonnes of e-waste in 2022, ranking only behind China and USA.
• Planned obsolescence is a practice where manufacturers either don’t reveal full servicing information or stop repairing old models, prompting consumers to buy replacements.
• Right-to-repair initiative envisions to build a consumer-centric ecosystem to increase repairability and bring transparency through collaboration.
• It aims to ease access to repair services not just by original manufacturers but also by reliable third-party technicians to lower costs and lengthen the shelf life of devices, equipment and home appliances.
• The portal has onboarded brands such as Samsung Ltd, Honda Ltd, Kent RO Systems Ltd, Havells Ltd, Hewlett Packard Enterprise India and Hero MotoCorp Ltd.
• The EU is in the process of establishing a “right to repair" with a view to save costs for consumers and facilitate a circular economy.

Source: 

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/consumers-right-to-repair-for-4-sectors-11678815202692.html

In News: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 in November, 2022. Management of solar wastes such as PV modules panels/ cells has been added in Chapter V of the said rules.

About the Management of solar PV modules panels rules:

As per these rules, every manufacturer and producer of solar photo-voltaic modules or panels or cells shall:

• Ensure registration on the portal;
• Store solar photo-voltaic modules or panels or cells waste generated up to the year 2034-2035 as per the guidelines laid down by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in this regard;
• File annual returns in the laid down form on the portal on or before the end of the year to which the return relates up to year 2034-2035;
• Ensure that the processing of the waste other than solar photo-voltaic modules or panels or cells shall be done as per the applicable rules or guidelines for the time being in force;
• Ensure that the inventory of solar photo-voltaic modules or panels or cells shall be put in place distinctly on portal; and
• Comply with standard operating procedure and guidelines laid down by the CPCB in this regard.
• Recyclers of solar photo-voltaic modules or panels or cells shall be mandated for recovery of material as laid down by CPCB in this regard.

Source: 

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1906920

In News: According to Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) research, India’s marine fisheries produced 1.32 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to produce one kilogram of fish as compared to the global average of 2 tonnes of CO₂ per kilogram of fish.

About Carbon Footprint of Marine fisheries sector:

• India’s emissions from the marine mechanised fisheries sector is 16.3% lower than the global level.
• The assessment was done by measuring GHG emissions from total activities in the sector, i.e. pre-harvesting, harvesting and post-harvesting.
• The study found that harvest phase i.e. active fishing in the country took up more than 90% of the fuel used in the sector..
• The research was aimed at studying the impact of climate change on agriculture including crops, livestock, horticulture and fisheries and to develop and promote climate resilient technologies.
• Climate change impacts on the oceans such as cyclones, sea-level rise and warming of Oceans have led to changes in marine ecosystems causing depletion of some fishes and emergence of others.
• CMFRI has identified cyclone proneness, flood proneness, shoreline changes, heat waves and sea level rise as major hazards in coastal regions.

Source: 

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kerala/carbon-emissions-indias-marine-fisheries-sector-icar-cmfri-8493282/

Why in news? Recently, Russia has agreed to extend the Black Sea grain deal for a further 60 days.

About:

• The Black Sea Grain initiative endeavours to tackle escalating food prices emanating from supply chain disruptions because of Russian actions in the world’s ‘breadbasket’.
• The deal brokered by the United Nations (UN) and Turkey, was signed in Istanbul in July 2022.
• Initially stipulated for a period of 120 days, the deal was to provide for a safe maritime humanitarian corridor for Ukrainian exports (particularly for food grains).

https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-updates-russia-agrees-to-extend-grain-deal-60-days/a-64965177

Why in news? Recently, a tigress allegedly died of electrocution in a buffer zone of Sanjay Tiger Reserve.

About:

• It is located in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh; it comprises Sanjay National Park and Dubri Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Various perennial rivers flow through the reserve viz. Gopad, Banas, Mawai, Mahan, Kodmar, Umrari and others.
• Topography: Undulating topography, some small hills interspersed with plain area.
• Flora: Sal, Bamboo and mixed forests
• Fauna: Tiger, Sloth bear, Chital, Nilgai, Chinkara, leopard, Dhole (wild dog) etc.

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/tiger-electrocuted-to-death-in-madhya-pradeshs-sanjay-tiger-reserve-3857059

Why in news? Recently, Bumchu Festival was celebrated in Tashiding Monastery, located in Sikkim.

About:

• Bumchu Festival is the Tashiding holy water vase ritual which is a unique and important occasion that draws travellers from all over the world.
• Bumchu festival commemorates a supernatural occurrence that took place in the 18th century under Chogyal Chakdor Namgyal.
• Bumchu means “pot of sacred water” in Tibetan.
• The vase is opened during the event, and the water inside is thought to have healing qualities shared among the worshippers.
• The celebration takes place on the 14th and 15th of the first lunar month, which often falls in February or March.
• The celebrations feature complex rituals, colourful processions, and traditional music and dance displays.

Tashiding Monastery:

• It is one of the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites, belongs to Nyingmapa order and was built in 17th century on top of a hill between two rivers, Rangit and Rathong.

https://theprint.in/world/tracing-roots-of-bumchu-buddhist-festival-in-sikkim/1439831/

Why in news? According to the World Air Quality Report prepared by IQAir, Delhi ranked 4th out of 50 of the world’s most polluted cities in terms of PM2.5 levels in 2022.

About:

• Out of 131 countries, India ranked 8th with a population weighted average PM2.5 level of 3 μg/m3 in 2022.
  • As per WHO guidelines, Annual average PM5 level, should be 5 µg/m3 or less.
• The annual world air quality report was published by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir.

Findings:

• Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh are the 5 most polluted countries in 2022.
• Lahore was the most polluted city in the world, followed by Hotan in China, and Bhiwadi in Rajasthan.
• New Delhi is the second most polluted capital city in the world, with N’Djamena in Chad topping the list.
• A total of 39 Indian cities (including ‘Delhi’ and ‘New Delhi’) are on the list of 50 of the world’s most polluted cities based on annual average PM5 levels in 2022.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-8th-in-worst-air-quality-lahore-most-polluted-city-in-region-report-101678784522686.html

Why in news? The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has announced the launch of ‘Learning Science via Standards’, a unique initiative for students for learning science via standards.

About:

• The initiative focuses on a series of lesson plans aimed to use scientific concepts, principles, and laws governing the Indian standards system.
• The initiative will help students understand their practical applications in manufacturing, functioning, and testing of quality characteristics of different products as stated in the relevant Indian Standards.
• The subjects for the lesson plans are largely related to products used in day-to-day life.
• BIS officials and resource personnel will transact the lesson plans to the students for an interactive learning experience which will also be hosted on the BIS website.
• The ‘Learning Science via Standards’ series is in a continuum with an earlier BIS initiative under which ‘Standards Clubs’ are being established in educational institutions across India.
• This initiative is a step towards bridging the gap between theory and real-life use of science education.
• It will enable students to relate the concepts of science to their actual applications and also promote a culture of quality and standardization in the country."

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1906779#:~:text=BIS%20Launches%20%E2%80%98Learning%20Science%20via%20Standards%E2%80%99%20Series%20Posted,initiative%20for%20students%20for%20learning%20science%20via%20standards

Why in news? NITI Aayog has launched ATL Sarthi under Atal Innovation Mission (AIM).

About:

• ATL Sarthi is a comprehensive self-monitoring framework to strengthen the ever-growing ecosystem of Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATL).
• It provides a Monitoring and Evaluation framework to enhance the performance of ATLs.
• AIM is establishing ATLs in schools across India to foster curiosity, creativity, and imagination in young minds.
• AIM is Government of India’s flagship initiative to create and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the country.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1906846