Category: Featured Editorials

CONTEXT The 2016 ‘Global Survey on Modern Slavery’ ranked 167 countries based on the proportion of the population estimated to be in slavery. India came in fourth after North Korea, Uzbekistan and Cambodia. In terms of the absolute numbers of people in slavery, India ranked first — ahead of China, Pakistan and Bangladesh. In its… Continue reading “Modern Slavery” and India

CONTEXT The  various macroeconomic indicators of the Indian Economy have been on the downward spiral in the recent past. In such a scenario, reviving the investor sentiment and the demand is the key focus of the Government. THE ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN A number of factors could be responsible for this: Merchandise exports:  One of the major… Continue reading The Downward Spiral of the Economy

CONTEXT With the Indian Meterological department getting it’s monsoon forecast wrong this year, it’s modelling has necessarily come under scanner. In April this year, IMD had predicted “near normal “or  96% rains and upgraded it later to 98% but the country later ended up with” below normal “ rains. IMD AND IT’S FUNCTIONING Indian meteorological… Continue reading Weather Prediction in India

Context A team led by SuchetaTripathy from the Structural Biology and Bio-Informatics Division at Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (CSIR-IICB), Kolkata, isolated a fungus, Arthriniummalaysianum , and used the fungus biomass to remove Cr(VI). Sources of Hexavalent chromium Hexavalent chromium is used in textile dyes, wood preservation, anti-corrosion products, chromate conversion coatings, and a variety… Continue reading Bio-remediation: some new developments

CONTEXT The snow leopard has lost its endangered status in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, causing genuine worry among wildlife biologists, who believe this sends out the wrong signal to those working to protect it. The argument for a downgrade to vulnerable status from endangered is that conservation actions… Continue reading Saving vulnerable fauna

Context: Cyber Violence against women is increasing and there is an urgent need to address the problem by amending the existing legislation against the indecent portrayal of women. What is meant by indecent representation of women? Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1987 defines indecent representation of women as “the depiction in any manner of… Continue reading Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1987 and the Need to Amend It

Context: The Indian Government’s has taken the initiative to grant citizenship to the Chakma and Hajong refugees Who are the Chakma and Hajongs? Origins: The Chakma and Hajongs were inhabitants of the Chittagong hill tracts of Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan). Religion: Chakmas are Buddhists Hajongs are Hindus Language: Chakmas’ language is close to Bengali-Assamese Hajongs… Continue reading Granting Citizenship Rights to Chakma and Hajong Refugees: All You Need to Know

Context: It is widely accepted that the interlinking of rivers will have adverse impact on environment and lives of million people. What is the National River Linking Project (NRLP)? The National River Linking Project (NRLP)is a proposed large-scale project that aims to link Indian rivers by a network of reservoirs and canals It aims at… Continue reading Interlinking of Indian Rivers: Boon or Bane?

Context New policies such as the OALP and HELP may increase investment in Coal Bed Methane India’s production of Coal Bed Methane, a clean energy source grew more than 44 percent last financial year to around 565 million standard cubic metres What is Coal Bed Methane (CBM)? Coal Bed Methane (CBM) is natural gas found in… Continue reading Revitalizing Coal Bed Methane in India