Front Page / NATIONAL [The Hindu]
[1].SC to HCs: Don’t keep review pleas pending
[2]. Fewer migratory water birds sighted at Ropar
[3]. Take up India-Bangladesh border fencing: Supreme Court
Editorial/OPINION [The Hindu]
[1]. The mystery of police reform
[2]. Staying cool
Economy [The Hindu]
[1]. Centre plumps for rural FMCG e-sales
Indian Express
[1]. Unusual times, usual ways
Live Mint
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Front Page / NATIONAL
[1].SC to HCs: Don’t keep review pleas pending
Context
Pleas are kept on life support by litigants to delay process
What Has Happened?
The Supreme Court has asked High Courts to dispose of review petitions as expeditiously as possible to prevent any slow-up in the process of justice
Guidelines Issued
- It is the duty of a litigant to file his review plea against a judgment on time.
- It is the obligation of counsel filing an application for review to cure or remove the defects at the earliest
- The registry of the High Courts had a duty to place the matter before the judge/Bench with defects so that there could be preemptory orders for removal of defects
Backdrop
The court was hearing a case in which a plea for review of an order passed by a Single Judge Bench of the Kerala High Court on March 9, 2012 took four years to be decided on October 26, 2016.
[2]. Fewer migratory water birds sighted at Ropar
Context
Due to threat and unavailability of food, the number of some species has dwindled
What Has Happened?
Fewer winter migratory water birds from central and north Asia were sighted at the Ropar Wetland in Punjab this season, apparently because of increasing human interference
The Asian Waterbird Census 2017
- Asian Waterbird Census 2017, conducted by Wetlands International, South Asia, and Punjab’s Wildlife Preservation Department on January 16 this year, revealed that the number of water birds this season stood at 2,302 as against 3,114 last year
- The census revealed that while the number of Eurasian coot, bar-headed geese, ruddy shelduck, oriental darter and river lapwing dwindled this year, that of graylag goose and red-crested pochard increased. Among India’s resident water birds, spot-billed duck rose in number to 130 against 56 last year.
Reasons forthe decrease
- Due to local disturbance such as threat and unavailability of food, the number of certain species decreases on many wetlands. At Ropar, boating, fishing and human disturbances along the riverbanks seem to drive away the water birds
- Some vegetarian ducks or geese preferred certain safe wetlands for their stay but moved during daytime to nearby grasslands or farmlands for feeding But farmers try to keep them away from their land
Reasons for the increase
With seasonal wetlands getting dry because of global warming, migratory birds going to a particular wetland switch to nearby wetlands, lakes, reservoirs with a large open area for seasonal congregation. Hence, the number of certain species increased
Fact Check
- Ropar is a riverine wetland with hardly any vegetation; but there are farmlands along the riverbanks where geese and ducks go for feeding.
- Ropar has been declared a wetland by the Ramsar Convention of Wetlands.
- Asian Waterbird Census is part of the International Waterbird Census of Wetlands International, South Asia, which conducts the exercise every January across Asia and Australia
[3]. Take up India-Bangladesh border fencing: Supreme Court
The Context
A Supreme Court bench perused the Centre’s status report on the progress made in the works relating to securing and fencing the International Border
What Has Happened?
The Supreme Court asked the Union government to release funds for fencing the India-Bangladesh border to check illegal migration into Assam
Observations
Task of border fencing and physical manning of the border [where fencing could not be done] has to be undertaken and concluded
Backdrop
The court was hearing the pleas of the Assam SanmilitaMahasangha, the Assam Public Works and the All Assam Ahom Association filed in the aftermath of the riots in 2012 and 2014
Editorial/OPINION
[1]. The mystery of police reform
Context
That police is a State subject complicates matters, but self-correction within the force is essential
Issue: Police reforms
Why in news recently?
Recently while declining a plea of a lawyer to usher in police reforms, SC had remarked that “Police reforms are going on and on. Nobody listens to our orders”
Major problems with our police force
Here are the major problems that are being faced by our police force,
- Politicization: Police officers routinely cite the inconvenience that the political interference causes them in the discharge of their duties
- Appointment are mostly based on political considerations
- Transfer to remote areas is used as a tool to punish the upright & honest officers
- No fixed tenure: A fixed term of 2 years as prescribed by the SC 2006 judgment has never been followed
- Victims are framed as accused and the ones who have committed crime are presented as witnesses
- Corruption: Police is seen as the most corrupt by the public. Frequently it is seen that the cries of an aggrieved poor are ignored while rich get prime treatment
- Police delay in filing FIRs
National Police Commission
The Government of India appointed the NPC on November 15, 1977
Mandate: The Commission was asked to make a comprehensive review at the national level of the police system, in the context of the far-reaching changes that had taken place in the country after the enactment of the Indian Police Act 1861, the report of the last Police Commission of 1902, and particularly those which had taken place since Independence.
- One of its most important terms of reference required it to recommend measures and institutional arrangements to “prevent misuse of powers by the police” and “misuse of police by administrative or executive instructions, political or other pressure, or oral orders of any type, which are contrary to law”
- Over the years, the National Police Commission made several recommendations for reform of the police force. But many of these were not implemented effectively
PIL filed: Prakash Singh Case
In 1996, two retired Directors General of Police, Prakash Singh and N. K. Singh, filed a public interest litigation (PIL) to know whether those recommendations had ever been implemented. It was only a decade later in 2006 that the Court delivered its verdict.
- In what is popularly referred to as the Prakash Singh case, the Supreme Court ordered that reform must take place. The states and union territories were asked to comply with seven binding directives which would kick-start the reforms.
SC’s 7 directives
The seven directives are:
- Limit political control
Constitute a State Security Commission to:
- Ensure that the state government does not exercise unwarranted influence or pressure on the police.
- Lay down broad policy guidelines.
- Evaluate the performance of the state police
- Appoint based on merit
Ensure that the Director General of Police is appointed through a merit–based, transparent process, and secures a minimum tenure of 2 years
- Fix minimum tenure
Ensure that other police officers on operational duties (including Superintendents of Police in charge of a district and Station House Officers in charge of a police station) are also provided a minimum tenure of 2 years
- Separate police functions
separate the functions of investigation and maintaining law and order
- Set up fair and transparent systems
Set up a Police Establishment Board to decide and make recommendations on transfers, postings, promotions and other service-related matters of police officers of and below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police
- Establish a Police Complaints Authority in each state
At the state level,there should be a Police Complaints Authority to look into public complaints against police officers of and above the rank of Superintendent of Police in cases of serious misconduct, including custodial death, grievous hurt or rape in police custody. At the district level, the Police Complaints Authority should be set up to inquire into public complaints against the police personnel of and up to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police in cases of serious misconduct
- Set up a selection commission
A National Security Commission needs to be set up at the union level to prepare a panel for selection and placement of chiefs of the Central Police Organizations with a minimum tenure of 2 years
After 2006
Many state government from then onwards have only tried to dilute the reforms by passing haphazard legislations. In short, the reforms envisaged by the SC have not happened.
Politicians as scapegoat
Author states that while there exists a view which states that political interference is the root cause of all ills with the police systems, there exists another which states that many dishonest policemen get away with accusing the local politician of preventing them from discharging their duties.Policemen either ignore complaints, or when they do take cognizance of them, side with the aggressors.
Way forward
Author states that the honest, upright and young IPS officers lose their idealism early on in their career due to vengeful politicians and disloyal subordinates. Hence, the change has to come from within the police force effected from the top by DGP and his aides
[2]. Staying cool
Context
It’s time for energy-efficient temperature limits for air-conditioning units in public facilities
Issue: Elimination of HCFCs by 2030
Montreal Protocol
- Created in 1987
- Came into force in 1989
- Treaty was conceived after the detection of a large hole in earth’s ozone layer over Antarctica
- Aim: The main aim of this treaty was the elimination of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and HCFCs. As a replacement HFCswere proposed
- CFCs are used in refrigeration and air conditioning. They impact the ozone layer and result in harmful UV rays penetrating through the atmosphere
Problem with HFCs
HFCs are even more potent in trapping heat in comparison to GHGs like Carbon dioxide so the need was felt to eliminate HFCs
Kigali agreement
- 28th meeting of parties to Montreal Protocol was held in Kigali, Rwanda
- It was agreed at Kigali to reduce the HFCs by around 85% of their baselines by 2045 thereby amending the Montreal Protocol
- Proposed replacement: HydrofluoroOlefins (HFOs)/Hydrocarbons
Usage of HCFCs
These are used mainly in the air-conditioning, refrigeration, polyurethane foam manufacturing and cold chain sectors
Use of HCFCs highest in developing world
The data for refrigerant consumption during 2015 compiled by the European Union show that in the developing world, split air-conditioning units, car ACs and commercial refrigeration record the highest use of these chemicals.
Measures
- Relevant policy changes: Modernizing the current technology used by 400 small and medium industrial units has to be complemented with a simultaneous policy change that encourages adoption by consumers
- Systemic changes: Active participation of state governments is required to effect systemic changes like enacting and enforcing new building codes and purchase regulations
- Continued research: Newer refrigerants with lower global warming potential are already available but the research on chemicals with greater energy reduction and very low contribution to global warming has to continue
- Incentivizing consumers:It is important to make consumers aware of green options among products in terms of the underlying technologies, and incentivize adoption through tax structures
- Audit of public buildings: The Centre should conduct audit of public buildings to determine whether they are suitably designed, as climate control relies as much on passive influences such as insulation, green roofing and the nature of materials used in construction
Welcome steps
- Certified training of service technicians in the newer technologies is welcome as it will bring about change of refrigerants used in the repair and replacement market and create additional employment
- The Environment Ministry’s proposal to prescribe energy-efficient temperature limits for air-conditioning units in public facilities is promising
Way forward
Reducing the acquisition cost: The continued success of the Montreal Protocol in its goal to eliminate HCFCs by 2030 will depend on reducing the acquisition costs of cleaner technologies.
- The greater affordability of solar photovoltaic power and its rapid adoption at various scales is a clear indicator here.
Conclusion
Author concludes by stating that in the near future more people will have access to air-conditioning and refrigeration, and the focus of government policy must be to make them energy-efficient and eco-friendly.
Economy
[1]. Centre plumps for rural FMCG e-sales
Context
Centre initiates talks with FMCG companies
What has happened?
The Centre has initiated talks with FMCG companies to sell their products online in rural areas through common service centres (CSCs) as it looks to increase the business for such centres
- While a deal has already been worked out with Baba Ramdev’sPatanjali Ayurveda, negotiations are underway with the likes of Procter and Gamble and Crompton Greaves
- Going beyond delivery of public services through such centres, the Centre is now opening up to tie-ups with private companies for their products to be sold through CSCs to increase profits for Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs). For example, CSC also has a tie up with Videocon d2h and Reliance Jio to sell their connections.
What are FMCG companies?
Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) or consumer packaged goods (CPG) are products that are sold quickly and at relatively low cost. Examples include non-durable goods such as soft drinks, toiletries, over-the-counter drugs, processed foods and many other consumables.
Common Service Centers
Common Services Centre (CSC) programme is an initiative of the Department of Electronics & IT (DeitY), Ministry of Communications and IT, Government of India.
- CSCs are the access points for delivery of various electronic services to villages in India, thereby contributing to a digitally and financially inclusive society.
CSC [Source: Vikaspedia]
- There are more than 2.5 lakh CSCs across the country which enable people, particularly in rural areas, to access government services online. These services include ration card, birth certificate, train tickets and online form submission, among other things.
Benefits to Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE)
The move will help VLEs who run CSCs to earn commission on the products sold while also enabling access for customers in rural areas to these products.
- According to estimates, a VLE is likely to earn a commission in the range of 12-20% on FMCG products, which is far higher than less than 10% on other services offered.
Indian Express
[1]. Unusual times, usual ways
Context
Methods to use GDP estimates cannot account for the shock caused by demonetization
What has happened?
CSO estimates indicate that during the 3rd quarter i.e. Oct-Nov-Dec the economy grew at 7% growth rate sidelining the impact of demonetization. As per the stats demonetization didn’t had an adverse impact on the economy.
Author’s contention
Methodology used for calculating GDP growth numbers in a scenario that is not normal like demonetization should be different than the one used in normal times
Why is author making this point?
Because as per the surveys by manufacturers, business associations and others done over the last four months, employment, production and investment have been hit hard in several sectors due to demonetization whereas CSO estimates indicate otherwise
Heterogeneity of Indian economy: Difficulty in estimating growth
The Indian economy is heterogeneous; that makes estimating growth difficult.
- The unorganized sector produces 45 per cent of the output and employs 94 per cent of the work force
- Agriculture is its largest component in terms of employment
- Data from the non-agriculture unorganised sector is not available for making predictions. This component was the hardest hit. How then were estimates drawn for this sector?
Questions that arise
Q: When the economy is severely affected, can the benchmark indicators be the same as earlier years and how can the projection from the previous year be valid? Can even projection from before November 2016 be valid post-demonetization?
Q: Government released a press note stating that Index of Industrial Production was used in calculating GVA from unorganised sectors. The IIP reflects the growth of the organised sector. Can it help estimate the unorganised sector production in the changed circumstances?
In the post-demonetisation regime when the growth of the organised and unorganised sectors differed dramatically, the method is not useful in calculating the unorganised sector’s contribution to the GDP
More Questions
There is an urgent need for the government to explain the use of the unchanged methodology in the drastically changed circumstances post-November 2016.
Q: Yes, the CSO cannot change the method on its own, but in unusual times should unusual steps not be taken? Should a rider not be put on the data?
Q: The head of the statistical department has been arguing that the impact of demonetisation on the economy will have to be studied over time and a lot more data is needed. However, should the government put out figures which they feel cannot be calculated at present and, therefore, are premature?
The point is the economy (and the budget) is not governed by official data but by what is happening on the ground.
Live Mint
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