9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – March 28th, 2023

Mains Oriented Articles

GS PAPER - 2

Golden fist: On the victory for Indian women boxers

Source: The post is based on the article “Golden fist: On the victory for Indian women boxers” published in The Hindu on 28th March 2023.

Syllabus: GS – 2: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre.

Relevance: About Indian women boxers.

News: Indian women boxers collected four gold medals in the recent Delhi World championships. This is a significant milestone ahead of Hangzhou Asian Games, a qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

What are some significant achievements of Indian women boxers in the recent Delhi World championship?

Nitu Ghanghas, Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain and Saweety Boora have won the gold medals and India topped the medal sheet.

Note: In 2006 also India collected four gold medals as M.C. Mary Kom, Sarita Devi, K.C. Lekha and R.L. Jenny won.

Nikhat Zareen became the second Indian after Mary to win more than one World title.

How International Boxing Association (IBA) is helping women boxers?

The IBA tried to ensure transparency and fairness. It took action against below-par match officials and athletes who seemingly enjoyed an unfair advantage. It offered a lucrative prize purse, including $100,000 to each winner, and financial support to boxers as an incentive to boost participation.

What will be the way forward?

The IBA is in conflict with the International Olympic Committee due to its exclusion from the Olympics over various issues. This has to be rectified.

The event demonstrated the competitiveness and appeal of women’s boxing. The successful conduct of the event has encouraged the IBA to look at India as a potential market for boxing destinations. The Boxing Federation of India’s also need to conduct more elite events to inspire the boxing community further.

Supreme Court verdict on UAPA is fraught with risk

Source- The post is based on the article “Supreme Court verdict on UAPA is fraught with risk of making it legal for agencies to act lawlessly while claiming to fight terrorism and preserve State’s security” published in “The Indian Express” on 28th March 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Judiciary

Relevance– Important judgement impacting the rights of people

News– Recently, the Supreme Court in Arup Bhuyan vs The State Of Assam Home Department held that mere membership of a banned association is sufficient to constitute an offence under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

What are issues concerning the judgement?

The judgement is fraught with the risk. Agencies can act lawlessly while claiming to fight terrorism and preserve the State’s security.

Unless there is a specific intent to enhance the abilities of an unlawful organisation, convicting a person as a member is a violation of the rule of law. The verdict also suffers from substantive contradictions in its reasoning.

The Court has set aside the reading down of both Section 10(a)(i), UAPA. It has struck down its previous rulings in Arup Bhuyan vs State of Assam, and State of Kerala vs Raneef.

The Raneef judgement provided a narrow interpretation of Section 10(a)(i) of UAPA. Section 10(a)(i) punishes membership of unlawful organisations with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years.

In Arup Bhuyan (2011) the Supreme Court ruled that mere membership of a banned organisation will not incriminate a person. It can be done if a person resorts to violence or incites people to violence or does an act intended to create disorder.

Banned organisations are not known to keep a registry with their members’ names, addresses, phone numbers, and email IDs. In most cases, membership must be inferred.

Jyoti Babasaheb Chorge vs State of Maharashtra (2012) demonstrates how innocent young men and women can get incriminated as members of unlawful organisations merely by association.

15 people, all young tribal women and men, were charged as members of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) for possessing Maoist propaganda literature. There was no accusation against them of being involved in any terrorist act or act of violence.

What are the challenges faced by states in case of laws against terrorism?

The definitions of terrorist and unlawful organisations in UAPA are vague. The Act merely states that they are organisations involved in “unlawful activities” and notified as such.

States worldwide are facing troubles in defining terrorism and terrorist groups with some precision. Their purpose is to protect against the inappropriate labelling of people as terrorists, and to curtail the abuse of counterterrorism powers.

Mislabelling dilutes efforts to combat actual terrorism. It undermines democratic values and institutions and increases the security threat.

Disqualification of Legislators in India – Explained, pointwise 

For 7PM Editorial Archives click HERE →

Introduction

Recently, the disqualification of legislators has been widely discussed due to two events. The first is the disqualification of a Member of Parliament after being sentenced to a two-year jail term by a Surat court in a 2019 defamation case. The second is an ongoing hearing by the Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court of India on a petition filed during the political crisis in Maharashtra last year (2022).

The Supreme Court has observed that any member of the Legislative Assembly who goes against the party’s in-house may face disqualification. These events have brought the debate on the disqualification of legislators to the forefront of public discussion.  

What are the constitutional provisions for the disqualification of legislators?  

Articles 102 & 191: The basic disqualification criteria for an MP are outlined in Article 102 of the Constitution, while those for an MLA are outlined in Article 191. Article 102 empowers the Parliament to enact legislation governing the conditions of disqualification.  

Grounds for disqualification under the Constitution: These include conditions such as holding a profit-making position in the Government of India or a state government, Being of unsound mind, being an unpaid insolvent, not being an Indian citizen, or acquiring citizenship of another country.  

Read more: Anti-defection Law: What can disqualify a legislator

Tenth Schedule: A person is ineligible to serve as a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) or the Legislative Council (MLC) if: a) An elected official voluntarily withdraws from a political party, b) An elected member votes or abstains from voting in such House in defiance of any direction issued by his political party or anyone authorised to do so.  

Note: The power to decide on the disqualification of legislators under the tenth schedule rests with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly concerned. However, the decision of the Speaker can be challenged in a court of law.  

Read more: Criteria for Disqualification of MLAs in India

Is there legal protection available against the disqualification of legislators?  

The legal protection available against the disqualification of legislators in India:  

Judicial Review: If a legislator is disqualified by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha or the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the decision can be challenged in a court of law through the remedy of judicial review.  

High Court and Supreme Court: If a legislator feels that he/she has been wrongly disqualified or that the decision to disqualify him/her is arbitrary or mala fide, he/she can file a petition in the High Court or the Supreme Court challenging the decision of the Speaker. For example, The Kerala High Court’s order suspending the disqualification of the Lakshadweep MP was notified by the Lok Sabha Secretariat 

Examination of facts: The court can examine the facts of the case and the legality of the decision and can set aside the decision if it is found to be illegal or unconstitutional.  

Protection against arbitrary or illegal disqualification: While the power to disqualify legislators rests with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha or the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly concerned, the courts act as a check on the exercise of this power and provide legal protection to legislators against arbitrary or illegal disqualification.  

What are the Important Supreme Court Judgements regarding the disqualification of legislators?  

There have been several important Supreme Court judgments regarding the disqualification of legislators in India. Some of the notable ones are: 

Kihoto Hollohan vs. Zachillhu and Others (1992): In this case, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. The court ruled that the decision of the Speaker on the question of disqualification of a member is subject to judicial review, but the courts should not interfere unless the decision is mala fide, arbitrary or violative of the Constitution.  

Jaya Bachchan vs. Union of India and Others (2006): In this case, the Supreme Court held that the appointment of Jaya Bachchan as a member of the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) was invalid as she was holding an office of profit at the time of her appointment. The court observed that the disqualification of a legislator on the ground of holding an office of profit is not limited to offices which involve the receipt of a salary or a fee, but includes any office which carries with it the right to remuneration or profit.  

Ravi S. Naik vs. Union of India and Others (1994): In this case, the Supreme Court held that the power of the Speaker to disqualify a member under the Tenth Schedule is a quasi-judicial power and that the Speaker must give the affected member an opportunity to be heard before passing an order of disqualification.  

Rajendra Singh Rana vs. Swami Prasad Maurya and Others (2007): In this case, the Supreme Court held that a legislator can be disqualified under the anti-defection law even if he/she abstains from voting in the House. The court observed that abstention from voting on a motion of confidence or no confidence is not a neutral act, but is a conduct which facilitates the success of one side or the other. 

In Lily Thomas v. Union of India (2013): The SC held that Section 8(4) of The Representation of the People Act, 1951 is unconstitutional which allows MPs and MLAs who are convicted to continue in office till an appeal against such conviction is disposed of.The court held that MP/ MLA convicted for two years or above would be disqualified immediately.  

Krishnamurthy v. Sivakumar & Ors (2015): The SC held that disclosure of criminal antecedents (especially heinous crimes) of a candidate at the time of filing of nomination paper as mandated by law was a categorically imperative. 

Lok Prahari v Union of India (2018): In this case SC clarified that a disqualification triggered by a conviction will be reversed if the conviction is stayed by a court. Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay vs. Union of India and Others (2021): In this case, the Supreme Court directed the central government to expedite the process of setting up special courts to try cases against MPs and MLAs, including cases related to the disqualification of legislators.  

Sachin Choudhary vs. Rajiv Singh and Others (2021): In this case, the Supreme Court held that a legislator cannot be disqualified on the ground of non-disclosure of criminal cases pending against him/her at the time of filing the nomination papers, as the law requires disclosure only of convictions and not pending cases. 

Read more: The curious case of the disqualification of a politician

What are the provisions available for the removal of disqualification?  

Provisions available for the removal or disqualification of Indian legislators are as follows:

Application to the President/Governor: A disqualified legislator can make an application to the President or the Governor, as the case may be, for the removal of disqualification. For example, in 2018, the Karnataka Governor received an application from a disqualified MLA seeking the removal of disqualification. The Governor referred the matter to the Election Commission for its opinion.  

Election petition: A disqualified legislator can also file an election petition in the appropriate court challenging the election of the winning candidate. If the election petition is successful, the disqualification is automatically removed.

For example, in 2019, an MLA was disqualified from the Karnataka Assembly on charges of anti-party activities. He filed an election petition challenging the election of the winning candidate, and the Karnataka High Court set aside his disqualification.  

Legislative pardon: The legislature can pardon a disqualified legislator by passing a resolution with a two-thirds majority. The resolution must be passed in both Houses of Parliament or the State Legislature.

For example, in 2019, the Maharashtra Legislative Council passed a resolution pardoning an MLA, who was disqualified for submitting a false affidavit.  

Court order: A disqualified legislator can approach a court of law challenging the disqualification. If the court finds that the disqualification was illegal, the disqualification is removed.

SC in its ruling in Lok Prahari v Election Commission of India & Ors (2018), clarified that a disqualification triggered by a conviction will be reversed if the conviction is stayed by a court.  

What are the challenges associated with the disqualification of legislators?  

Legal challenges: Disqualifications can be challenged in courts of law, which can lead to a prolonged legal process. For example, in 2017, the Delhi High Court set aside the disqualification of 20 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs, who had been disqualified on charges of holding offices of profit. The case went on for several months before the court finally gave its decision.  

Political challenges: Disqualifications can have political implications, and can lead to accusations of political vendetta.

Enforcement challenges: Enforcing disqualifications can be a challenge, especially if the disqualified legislator refuses to vacate their seat. For example, in 2017, the Election Commission of India disqualified a political leader from Tamil Nadu Assembly but refused to vacate his seat, leading to a legal tussle.  

Impact on voters: Disqualifications can impact the voters who elected the disqualified legislator, who may feel that their mandate has been nullified. For example, in 2019, the disqualification of 17 MLAs in Karnataka led to a sense of disillusionment among their voters, who felt that their elected representatives had been unfairly targeted.  

What should be done?  

Clear guidelines: There should be clear and unambiguous guidelines outlining the grounds for the disqualification of legislators, to ensure that the process is fair and transparent.  

Time-bound process: The process for disqualification of legislators should be time-bound, to ensure that it does not drag on indefinitely. For example, in 2018, the Delhi High Court directed the Election Commission of India to conclude the disqualification proceedings against AAP MLAs within three months.  

Strengthening the legal framework: The legal framework for the disqualification of legislators needs to be strengthened to ensure that it is clear, consistent and in line with democratic principles. This could include ensuring that the disqualification process is independent, impartial and non-partisan and that it provides for a fair hearing to the legislator concerned. For example, the Supreme Court of India has recommended that the disqualification process should be carried out by an independent authority, such as an ombudsman.  

Political neutrality: The disqualification process should be free from political interference, and should not be used as a tool for settling political scores. The process should be based on objective criteria, and should not be influenced by political considerations. For example, the Supreme Court of India has emphasised that disqualification should not be used as a means of political vendetta.  

Transparency: The process for disqualification of legislators should be transparent, and the public should be informed about the reasons for disqualification.

Strict enforcement: Once a legislator is disqualified, strict enforcement measures should be put in place to ensure that the disqualification is enforced in a timely and effective manner. This would help to prevent disqualified legislators from continuing to hold office and to ensure that the will of the people is respected.  

By taking these steps, it is possible to ensure that the process for disqualification of legislators is fair and transparent and that it upholds the principles of democracy and the rule of law. 

Sources: Indian Express (Article 1, Article 2, Article 3 and Article 4), The Hindu (Article 1 and Article 2) and Hindustan Times

Syllabus: GS 2: Indian Constitution and Polity – Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

GS PAPER - 3

Centre has been lifting AFSPA in the Northeast incrementally. This must continue

Source: The post is based on the article “Centre has been lifting AFSPA in the Northeast incrementally. This must continue” published in the Indian Express on 28th March 2023.

Syllabus: GS – 3: Security challenges and their management in border areas.

Relevance: About removal of disturbed area tags and insurgencies from North East.

News: The Centre has lifted the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 from more police station limits in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland. This is the second time in a year that the Centre has reduced areas under AFSPA in the Northeast. This highlights the reduction of insurgencies from North East.

What are the areas under AFSPA at present?

Read here: Go, Afspa, Go – Every N-E district freed of this draconian law represents an advance. But it’s time to consider full repeal

About Armed Forces Special Powers Act or AFSPA

Must read: Armed Forces Special Powers Act or AFSPA

About AFSPA in North East

The prevalence of insurgencies is felt in almost all states in the Northeast. For example, the Naga rebellion since the 1940s, the Mizo uprising since the 1960s, radical Left groups in Manipur in the 1970s, and the ULFA in Assam in the 1980s. This necessitated the imposition of the AFSPA. The Army was sent in because the civil administration had failed to control the situation.

Read here: Explained: AFSPA and the Northeast

How does the government reduce insurgencies from North East?

a) Since the ceasefire with Nagas in 1997, successive governments have pushed for talks with the rebels, b) Assam has negotiated with its rebels — Ulfa, Bodo and Dimasa groups — despite stray incidents, c) The Mizo rebels, who signed a peace accord in 1986 when Rajiv Gandhi was prime minister, joined electoral politics in Mizoram and won office, and d) The Tripura government has successfully negotiated the insurgency and got the AFSPA removed in 2015.

What should be done to utilise the reduction in insurgencies from North East?

Recently, the Manipur government had withdrawn the ongoing ceasefire pact with two Kuki militant groups. They were among the 25 Kuki-Chin-Mizo militant groups with which the state had signed a “Suspension of Operations” agreement.

A stable Northeast is extremely important, especially when Myanmar is in crisis. So, the government has to maintain a balance between regional and ethnic identity assertion and nationalism.

 

Waste Is Winning – Cities’ effluent management is way behind target and a health hazard. Eco-friendly, inexpensive solutions exist

Source: The post is based on the article “Waste Is Winning – Cities’ effluent management is way behind target and a health hazard. Eco-friendly, inexpensive solutions exist” published in The Times of India on 28th March 2023.

Syllabus: GS – 3: Pollution.

Relevance: About sewage treatment in India.

News: Recently, nodal pollution body, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has found all 18 drains of Delhi that empty treated wastewater into the Yamuna fall short of chemical standards mandated before any drain reaches the river. It also found that around 22% of Delhi’s untreated waste ends up in Yamuna.

About India’s Wastewater generation and sewage treatment capacity

As per a Niti Aayog report, “of 72,368 million litres of urban wastewater that India generates daily, only 28% is treated.” That means 72% of wastewater is untreated and “maybe disposed of in rivers/lakes/groundwater”.

At least three laws, over 10 government policies and missions are functioning since 1985 to tackle India’s wastewater, polluted and dead rivers problems. But still, India is not completely addressed the issue.

What are the contributing factors to poor sewage treatment in India?

Wastewater, and sewage treatment in India is abysmal. This is because a) India lacks the legal and political will, b) Fewer funds are allocated for sewage treatment, c) Limited availability of land in urban areas for sewage treatment plants. Further, residents are also in fear of an economic hit as the odour and aesthetics lower land prices in their area, d) The regulations are not strict and there is an absence of an oversight framework, e) Lack of civic awareness about the problem, f) Due to urbanisation, the influx of migrants into cities has increased manifold and resultant population growth in urban areas and g) Illegal dumping, poorly managed drainage systems, multiple leakages, and conventional technology in existing treatment plants are other issues.

All this led to the widening of the gap between sewage treatment capacities and sewage generated.

What should be done to improve sewage treatment in India?

1) Some Chinese cities addressed sewage treatment by building plants underground. This can be done in India as well, 2) India needs to prioritise waste management before it starts constructing wetlands and urban water bodies, c) India should utilise the decentralised wastewater plants as they are an inexpensive and ecologically sustainable way to address the problem.

Is Every Bank Too Big to Fail?

Source: The post is based on the article “Is Every Bank Too Big to Fail? – US government rescue culture will hurt the global financial system, then growth and living standards everywhere” published in The Times of India on 28^th March 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Economy

Relevance: About the US’s changing attitude towards rescuing banks and its implications

News: Bank runs in the US have caused global economic shocks and it increases the burden on the government for its rescue. This has been caused by the easy money policy adopted by the US.

What is easy money policy of the US?

In the last few decades, the easy money policy of the US, made the US market five times larger than the world economy.

The market in the US was so deeply interconnected that the failure of even a midsize bank had global impacts.

This easy money era was shaped with low interests and the state’s responsibilities to rescue banks and other economic institutions from crisis.

Even in the present bank runs, the easy money era is being followed. For instance, central banks are tightening monetary policy due to the inflation and the government is opting to rescue those which failed.

This rescue mechanism has turned US from a minimalist state towards maximalist.

How has America grown from a minimalist state to maximalist?

Before the Civil War: America in the pre-1929-era was a minimalist state. In those times, economic rescues adopted by the government were rare and were also not controversial.

America in had limited government intervention and no central bank. Trust in those times was kept at personal level not at institutional level.

During the American Industrial Revolution: Even during the industrial revolution, the government restrained in intervening into rescuing the economic institutions. This resulted in strong productivity and higher per capita income growth.

During the 1960s-70s: By this time also, people were against government rescue of the economic institutions.

During the 1980s: Free market ideology spread worldwide during this period. It also saw the rise of rescue cultures. Continental Illinois became the first US bank to fail. 

FDIC extended unlimited protection to Continental depositors of the bank just as it recently did for SVB depositors.

During the 1990s: The first preventive rescue came in the late 1990s. The Fed organised support for Long Term Capital Management in order to avoid the threat of a systemic financial crisis.

Post-1990s: The US government in 2008 and 2010 attempted a larger rescue. It rescued big Wall Street banks in 2008.

And in 2020, the government took preemptive measures to rescue everyone including individuals and companies of all sizes, including those lacking solid collateral.

The Fed and Treasury combined spent trillions of dollars in loans and bailouts to thousands of companies across finance and other industries at home and abroad.

What are the implications of adopting maximalism?

Maximalism has led to a massive misallocation of capital and a surge in the number of zombie firms.

In the US, total factor productivity growth fell from 2% between 1870 and the early 1970s to 0.5% after 2008. This maximalist culture, instead of re-energizing the economy, is destabilizing the global financial system.

Hence, the government intervention eases the pain of crises but over time lowers productivity, economic growth and living standards.

Let satellites terminate patchy internet coverage

Source: The post is based on the article “Let satellites terminate patchy internet coverage” published in Mint on 28^th March 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Science and Technology

Relevance: expanding role of ISRO and digital connectivity

News: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has recently placed 36 OneWeb satellites in orbit.

What does this signify for India?

The satellites were placed in orbit using LVM-3 as a satellite launch vehicle. This has proved the reliability of the launch vehicle.

Further, the mission has also earned the reputation for the Indian space agency globally, because of the lower cost it offered for the mission.

About OneWeb Satellites

Read Here: ISRO puts 36 OneWeb satellites in orbit

OneWeb plans on launching services in India this July or August. It could extend the internet to parts of the country that either remain deprived of access or suffer poor connectivity.

India must utilize this opportunity and make the internet accessible in the remotest area.

What steps have been taken by India to promote digital connectivity?

The Digital India Program is one of the steps towards promoting digitization.

The government is also coming up with a spectrum policy. However, concerns such as allocation or auction of airwaves, revenue generation, etc., still remain with the policy.

Whatever be the case, India would need transparency in its policy and not let delays arise from indecision. Because it would be unfortunate if other factors held India back from expanding the internet while technology is present.

What is the way ahead?

Even though India has earned a reputation worldwide for launching OneWeb satellites, the concerns of internet shutdowns in India still remain. For example, last year, India had more internet shutdowns than any other country.

Therefore, India must achieve the promise of full access reliability in order to fulfil its digital dreams. This means that internet connectivity should not be cut unless there is an extreme national emergency.

Principles underlying tax architecture need wider debate

Source- The post is based on the article “Principles underlying tax architecture need wider debate” published in “The Indian Express” on 28th March 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Government budgeting

Relevance– Issues related to taxation

News– Recently, the Finance Bill 2023 was passed by voice vote in the Lok Sabha last week with 64 amendments.

What is the contentious decision related to amendments?

There was a decision to scrap the tax benefit for debt mutual funds. From April 1, investors in debt mutual funds cannot avail the benefit of indexation for calculation of long-term capital gains.

These investments will now be taxed at income tax rates applicable to an individual’s tax slab.

What is the meaning of indexation for calculation of long-term capital gains?

Indexation means adjusting the cost of funds by taking inflation into consideration. It is offered to debt fund investors if the investment is redeemed after 36 months.

In the case of debt funds, long-term capital gains were taxed at 20% with indexation benefits. This benefit brought down an investor’s tax liability.

What will be the impact of the decision to scrap the tax benefit for debt mutual funds?

There are concerns that the withdrawal of the benefit will affect investors. They will reassess their allocations to debt mutual funds. This may impact flows into these funds.

Debt mutual funds channel funds into the bond market. This move may be detrimental to the growth and development of the bond market in India.

According to a report by Crisil, 70% of the investment in debt funds flows from institutional investors. Individual investors accounted for 27%. This will possibly affect flows to the corporate bond market and thus demand for corporate debt is likely to be impacted.

The difference between bank deposits and debt funds needs to be considered. Bank deposits are insured up to Rs 5 lakh. Debt mutual funds do carry risk depending on the risk profile of the bonds they hold.

What is the way forward for taxation structure in India?

Capital gains architecture in India needs to be reexamined and reconfigured. There are different rates of taxation for different asset classes. Rationalisation of tax rate and the holding period is desirable.

The principles underlying the tax architecture in India need to be widely discussed and debated.

This helicopter programme cannot go into a tailspin

Source– The post is based on the article “This helicopter programme cannot go into a tailspin” published in “The Hindu” on 28th March 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Security

Relevance: Issues related to defence equipments

News- Recently, Dhruv helicopter in the Indian Navy’s newly acquired fleet of ALH Mk­III MRs experienced a sudden loss of power and rapid loss of height near Mumbai.

In another incident on March 26, an Indian Coast Guard ALH Mk­III MR (CG­855) on a test flight, crashed at Cochin International Airport soon after takeoff from the Coast Guard base at the airport.

What is the major cause behind the helicopter accidents?

Majority of accidents related to the ALH fleet have been caused by critical failure or breakage in the flight control chain. Therefore, certification of ALH requires a level of reliability of these systems.

Yet, there have been at least four or five reported cases of a sudden loss of control on the ALH due to breakages in flight control rods. The Mumbai incident indicates that not enough has been done to fix serious flaws.

Why is there a need for quick action to remove the faults causing helicopter accidents?

The focus on safety is a necessity. The fleet cannot remain grounded for long as these helicopters are a lifeline to defence personnel in many remote defence posts. These will now have to be serviced by an ageing Chetak/Cheetah fleet.

Flaws in design, production, quality control or certification may also impact the civil and export potential of the ALH.

There is much more at stake than reputation such as the safety and longevity of all subsequent derivatives like the Light Utility Helicopter. More than 300 of these machines form the backbone of the vertical lift service in the Indian military. There has to be a quick action.

Sterilisation is the best way to address stray dog problem

Source- The post is based on the article “Sterilisation is the best way to address stray dog problem” published in “The Indian Express” on 25th  March 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Environment

Relevance– Issues related to stray animals

News– The article explains the challenges associated with mass killing and confinement of stray dogs.

What are statistics related to the number of deaths caused by Rabies in India?

According to the 2021 edition of National Health Profile, there were 105 cases of human death from rabies in India in 2019. The 2018 edition put the figure at 97 in 2017.

According to the relevant preceding annual National Health Profiles, there were 86 human deaths from rabies in 2016, 113 in 2015, 125 in 2014 and 132 in 2013.

What are arguments against the confining stray dogs in facilities or killing them?

Not in accordance with the Animal Birth Control(ABC) programme– Under the ABC programme, street dogs are picked up from an area, sterilised and vaccinated against rabies, and returned to the same area.

They keep unsterilised and unvaccinated dogs out. The authorities can concentrate on sterilising and vaccinating new areas until all stray dogs in a city or district are covered.

Killing all dogs in an area would enable unsterilised, unvaccinated dogs to come in. The authorities will have to return again and again to the same area to kill the new arrivals.

Until the promulgation of the ABC Rules, the number of stray dogs continued to increase in India despite relentless mass killings.

Huge investment– India will have to invest thousands of crores of rupees to set up necessary infrastructure and deploy lakhs of people to catch dogs, operate them and take care of them. Housing and feeding stray dogs permanently in “facilities” will require a continuous flow of funds. A huge amount of money will be required for buying injection syringes and lethal drugs for killing, and the safe disposal of bodies.

No evidence in support of killings– Humane euthanasia does not help. As per the WHO’s Expert Committee on Rabies, there is no evidence that the removal of dogs has a significant impact on dog population densities and the spread of rabies.

Authorities confronted by problems caused by these stray dogs have turned to mass destruction in the hope of finding a quick solution. But, it does not resolve the stray dogs problem.

What are other benefits associated with the ABC programme?

The ABC programme reduces cases of dog bites. Sterilised bitches do not go into heat. Fights among dogs over bitches don’t happen. This fight raises their aggression levels.

The rise in aggression levels when they are guarding their puppies against threats will be reduced. Many get bitten while teasing, hitting, or trying to take away puppies.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Sorry, there are no articles today from this source