NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.
General Studies – 2
Topic : Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
The article explains that the United Nations has outlined a set of 10 principles for implementation of it’s first-ever guidelines on access to social justice for people with disabilities.
Key Demand of the question:
The question is straightforward and one has to explain the guidelines on access to social justice for people with disabilities.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Briefly set the context of the issue related to access to social justice for people with disabilities.
Body:
The United Nations has released it’s first-ever guidelines on access to social justice for people with disabilities to make it easier for them to access justice systems around the world. The guidelines outline a set of 10 principles and detail the steps for implementation.
The article outlines al the 10 set principles, present them in the answer body and explain in what way they prove to be a ray of hope for the disabled.
Conclusion:
Conclude by what India can learn from these set principles.
Introduction
Ensuring an accessible environment for people with disabilities will enable the disabled people to lead a more dignified life and to enjoy their constitutional rights in the society. However, they face several challenges in realizing the same. The recently released UN’s guidelines with regards to access to social justice for people with disabilities will improve the current situation.
Body
These first ever guidelines released by UN on access to social justice for people with disabilities aims to make it easier for them to access justice systems around the world. The principles set forth in this guideline are:
- Principle 1 All persons with disabilities have legal capacity and, therefore, no one shall be denied access to justice on the basis of disability.
- Principle 2 Facilities and services must be universally accessible to ensure equal access to justice without discrimination of persons with disabilities.
- Principle 3 Persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, have the right to appropriate procedural accommodations.
- Principle 4 Persons with disabilities have the right to access legal notices and information in a timely and accessible manner on an equal basis with others.
- Principle 5 Persons with disabilities are entitled to all substantive and procedural safeguards recognized in international law on an equal basis with others, and States must provide the necessary accommodations to guarantee due process.
- Principle 6 Persons with disabilities have the right to free or affordable legal assistance.
- Principle 7 Persons with disabilities have the right to participate in the administration of justice on an equal basis with others.
- Principle 8 Persons with disabilities have the rights to report complaints and initiate legal proceedings concerning human rights violations and crimes, have their complaints investigated and be afforded effective remedies.
- Principle 9 Effective and robust monitoring mechanisms play a critical role in supporting access to justice for persons with disabilities.
- Principle 10 All those working in the justice system must be provided with awareness-raising and training programmes addressing the rights of persons with disabilities, in particular in the context of access to justice.
Significance of these guidelines
- The guideline sets forth that the government or any authority to ensure that the legal capacity of the disabled people is not hampered in the society in any manner. Ex: removing physical barriers, legislating laws to ensure concerns relating to legal rights of the disabled people are addressed etc
- Appropriate procedural accommodations in the guidelines will allow witness or victims to access justice better. Ex: Allowing people with disabilities to record their statement via video conference
- Giving free legal assistance for persons with disabilities will also remove the economic barrier for them to access economic justice
- Participation of persons with disabilities in the administration of justice will improve the equity in the legal domain
- Monitoring mechanism, grievance redressal mechanism and awareness programmes will provide a robust mechanism for persons with disabilities get access to social justice.
Steps taken in India so far to improve access to social justice for persons with disabilities
- Equal constitutional rights to Persons with disabilities.
- India is also a signatory to Convention on the Rights of Disabilities
- India has launched Accessible India campaign to ensure accessibility in public buildings (which includes courts, police stations etc) in a prescribed time-frame to persons with disabilities
- Reservation for Persons with disabilities in the government jobs.
- Right of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 has been passed which provides for a grievance redressal mechanism.
- National and State Fund will be created under the above act to provide financial support to the persons with disabilities.
- Special courts have been setup in each district to handle cases concerning violation of rights of PwDs.
Way forward: Steps India can take to implement the UN guidelines:
- Adoption of the recent UN guidelines in a time bound manner.
- Changes in the required laws to ensure legal barriers are removed for persons with disabilities. Ex: Allowing them to record their statement through video-conference etc, filing cases online etc.
- Sensitization of workers in the justice administration in the country to ensure persons with disabilities does not face any prejudices.
- A nationwide free toll line to ensure persons with disabilities can access help and counsel to realize their legal rights. Ex: On the similar lines of Child helpline 1098.
- Ensuring adequate physical and human resources to grievance redressal and monitoring mechanisms in the country.
- Compensation to Persons with Disabilities if their grievances are not addressed within due time. This will improve the justice delivery.
Topic: GS-1: population and associated issues.
GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
2. Discuss the importance of the idea of “Urban commons” in the city planning. (250 words)
Reference: Down to Earth
Why the question:
The article explains how often the city planning in the country ignores incorporating the idea of urban commons.
Key Demand of the question:
One must explain the idea of urban commons; explain in what way it is essential to incorporate this idea in city planning.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
A good start would be defining what urban commons are.
Body:
The world is on a headlong rush towards urbanization, with more than 75% of its people expected to live in cities by 2050. Urban commons can provide a key to sustainable living and wellbeing in cities, helping citizens forge new connections, rebuild social capital and reclaim their right to the city.
Explain that despite the undeniable importance of urban commons, commons research for the most part focuses on landscapes that are largely rural. Urban commons, such as wooded streets, urban forests, parks, lakes and wetlands, are threatened by conversion to build spaces, degradation and pollution in cities across the world. Collective action is especially challenging in cities, with high pressures of time, disrupted social connections, constantly changing community compositions, and extreme inequities.
Present a case study to explain and substantiate better.
Conclusion:
Conclude with importance that our cities can hold out any promise of a better future only if the commons play a central role in urban planning.
Introduction
Urban commons represent those rare spaces in increasingly segregated cities where the rich and the poor can still meet, children of all classes play together and collaborations for conservation can occur.
Body
The world is on a headlong rush towards urbanization, with more than 75% of its people expected to live in the cities by 2050. This trend is true even for India where in the last few years we have witnessed multitude of growth in population in our cities.
There are generally two types of urban commons in our cities. They are:
- Urban ecological commons: water, air, water bodies, wetlands etc
- Urban civic commons: streets, sidewalks, public spaces like garden, public schools etc
Importance of urban commons is:
- Sustainable living and wellbeing:
- Urban parks and gardens reduce the pollution in the area, apart from helping citizens to be physically fit.
- Green space in the city reduces the effect of heat island which makes living in the cities unbearable at times. Ex: Some study suggests up to 1 degree Celsius of temperature gets reduced in the cities due to urban green spaces.
- Urban parks, lakes and wetlands also provide an ecosystem where local flora and fauna can continue to thrive.
- Social benefits:
- These common spaces are used by the migrants who come to cities in search for job as their accommodation spaces.
- Urban commons serves as a platform to forge new connections between citizens living in an area. Such connections may alleviate the fear of loneliness that is developing among many sections in the society. Ex: Old age group, reducing the effect of gadgets on children when they are made to play outside in gardens and parks.
- According to some recent studies, cities with urban commons, especially parks and public spaces boost social cohesion and relations.
In spite of the visible importance of the urban commons, these spaces face various challenges such as:
- Encroachment issues: These spaces have been encroached in recent times by both public and private enterprises. Ex: Mumbai’s Aarey forest issue, gated communities etc
- Governance issues: Programmes such as Smart Cities have taken an approach that affects those people that depend upon these commons. Ex: Eviction of people such as migrants from these places.
- Pollution in the cities has also affected the flora and fauna of these places. Ex: Sewage finding its way to lakes in cities (Bellandur lake in Bangalore)
Reasons for the present situation of urban commons:
- Urban commons in India do not enjoy strict conservation measures as compared to their rural commons. Ex: There is no specific definition for ‘urban lakes’ in India under the National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP).
- Urban planning framework is also yet to factor in the importance of these spaces in its policy-making. Ex: Roads are often built to accommodate motorized vehicles but often leave out pedestrians, bicyclists etc
- There has also been a general lack of significance given to these urban commons by the citizens owing to the urban lifestyle. Ex: Many citizens do not use the facilities of urban parks and gardens etc
Some of the government programmes that have been taken by the government to conserve the urban commons are:
- Smart City programme aims to improve the quality of life of people by enabling local development and harnessing technology as a means to create smart outcomes for citizens.
- Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) Project aims to provide basic civic amenities like water supply, sewerage, urban transport, parks as to improve the quality of life for all especially the poor and the disadvantaged.
- Under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) transportation system will be equipped with Intelligent Transport System (ITS) and Metro Rail Projects.
- National Urban Livelihood Mission aims to add infrastructure and other amenities to the urban areas.
Measures to ensure urban commons are conserved:
- Integrated planning: Urban commons such as parks, sidewalks, public transit and landfills must be part of area planning
- Community engagement: It is based on the concept of participatory democracy. These include projects such as decentralized use of regenerative energy sources, social housing, urban gardening, open spaces for culture and art
- Government must create special GIS maps where common areas and their boundaries are clearly marked. This will empower the communities to for their common spaces better
- Ward committees must be empowered to manage urban committees and protect them from encroachment
Value-addition: Best strategy
Barcelona one of the best cities in the world, has ensured visibility and recognition to the value of communitary management, promoting and consolidating new models of governance in accordance with principles of autonomy and sustainability.
Conclusion
Urban commons face a number of challenges such as encroachment, air quality deterioration etc. By recognizing these particularities and making them a topic of policy making, urban commons can be used to fully realize their potential for equality, participation, and just resource accessibility in the city.
Topic : GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
GS-3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Reference: Live Mint
Why the question:
The draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2020, released by the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC) has been mired in controversy ever since it was placed in the public domain in March. Thus the context of the question.
Key Demand of the question:
Explain in detail what the issues are in the India’s environmental clearance process, analyse the recently proposed reforms.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by stating the fact that the draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2020, released by the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC) has been mired in controversy ever since it was placed in the public domain in March.
Body:
EIA is an important process for evaluating the likely environmental impact of a proposed project. It is a process whereby people’s views are taken into consideration for granting final approval to any developmental project or activity. It is basically, a decision-making tool to decide whether the project should be approved or not.
Discuss in detail the issues pertaining to draft EIA Notification 2020; the concerns of post-facto approval, lacunae in the public Consultation Process, Compliance Report Issue etc.
Conclusion:
On a positive note, the 2020 draft notification has a clause dedicated to definitions to several terms related to EIA. It may be beneficial in the sense that it consolidates the EIA rules and has the potential of alleviating some ambiguity in the present law. However, it needs to address the above issues.
Introduction
India secured 168th rank in the 12th edition of the biennial Environment Performance Index (EPI Index 2020) — that measured the environmental performance of 180 countries which is released by Yale University every year. India’s policies in recent times have not been able to improve its ranking. Additionally, many believe that the recently released draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2020 will not help in environmental conservation in the country.
Body
EIA is an important process for evaluating the likely environmental impact of a proposed project. It is a process whereby people’s views are taken into consideration for granting final approval to any developmental project or activity. It is basically, a decision-making tool to decide whether the project should be approved or not.
Existing rules make it harder for development projects to get clearances in time. Also there is no credible mechanism to monitor the environmental clearances given to this project. With the new draft document the government aims to expedite the clearances for projects and also put in place better monitoring mechanisms through this new notification.
Features of this new draft notification are:
- The draft proposes is the provision that projects can receive clearances post facto
- Public consultation that formed a crucial part of the EIA process has been diluted considerably. Ex: public hearings on individual environment impact assessments from 30 to 20 days.
- The 2020 draft says no information on “such projects shall be placed in the public domain”.
- The new draft exempts a long list of projects from public consultation. Ex: linear projects such as roads and pipelines in border areas will not require any public hearing
- All inland waterways projects and expansion/widening of national highways will be exempt from clearance
- The 2020 draft also exempts most building construction projects of built-up area up to 1,50,000 sq m
Criticisms of the draft act so far:
- The ministry has reduced the number of days for public consultation for their feedbacks on this notification
- The word ‘strategic’ has not been defined in the draft notification adequately. This gives undue influence to the government in deciding which projects will be exempt from the consultation and clearance process
- The ‘border area’ is defined as “area falling within 100 kilometres aerial distance from the Line of Actual Control with bordering countries of India.” That would cover much of the Northeast, the repository of the country’s richest biodiversity.
- The National Green Tribunal had set aside the policy of exemption for construction projects of built-up area up to 150,000 sq m once before. However, the government has reiterated its stance here.
- For such late applications, a developer will have to stricter penalties under the draft notification. However, these penalties do not take adequately address the environmental destruction. Ex: a developer will have to cough up Rs 2,000-10,000 per day for the period of delay. Consider the impact of this penalty on, say, an illegal sand miner who takes out several truckloads every day.
- There is no scope for any public complaint about violations. Instead, the reliance is on the violators to disclose, suo motu, that they broke the law.
- Additionally, in one of the earlier judgments of the Supreme Court, it was made clear that no ex post facto approval could be given to environmental clearances.
What could be done?
The Environment should hold broad based consultations with the civil society to address the concerns related to this new draft notification. Also, an independent committee should be setup to consider the feedback received from public on this issue.
Conclusion
Diluting the public hearing process and placing increasing number of projects in categories that require no environment clearances, impinges on the idea of democratic participation. This will have a serious effect in protecting and improving the quality of the environment in the country and also will be in clear violation of constitutional mandate under Article 48A which is to protect and improve the environment.
Topic :Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
4. Present the case of growing antimicrobial resistance burden in the country. (250 words)
Reference: Down to Earth
Why the question:
The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in street fruit juices being sold in Delhi has been reported by a study published in the 13th issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health last month. Thus the question.
Key Demand of the question:
One must present in detail the case of growing antimicrobial resistance burden in the country.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
First briefly explain what antibiotic resistance is. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi.
Body:
State some key facts – AMR is an increasingly serious threat to global public health that requires action across all government sectors and society. Without effective antibiotics, the success of major surgery and cancer chemotherapy would be compromised. The cost of health care for patients with resistant infections is higher than care for patients with non-resistant infections due to longer duration of illness, additional tests and use of more expensive drugs.
Explain the factors that are leading to growing resistance. Also discuss why it is antimicrobial resistance a global concern? What accelerates the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance?
Conclusion:
Conclude with what needs to be done and suggest suitable solutions.
Introduction
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change in ways that render the medications used to cure the infections they cause ineffective. When the microorganisms become resistant to most antimicrobials they are often referred to as “superbugs”. Antimicrobial resistance is now regarded as one of the major threats to public health across the globe.
Body
Antimicrobial resistance occurs naturally but is facilitated by the inappropriate use of medicines, for example using antibiotics for viral infections such as cold or flu, or sharing antibiotics.
Other factors that have contributed to anti-microbial resistance are:
- Low-quality medicines
- Wrong prescriptions and poor infection prevention and control also encourage the development and spread of drug resistance.
- Lack of government commitment to address these issues
- Poor surveillance and a diminishing arsenal of tools to diagnose
- Self-medication and lack of awareness among the people on when to use antibiotics have also lead to AMR
- Antibiotics which are critical to human health are commonly used for growth promotion in poultry. This increases the chance of mutation of the microorganism which might render our present antibiotics useless
- Untreated disposal of sewage water bodies – leading to contamination of rivers with antibiotic residues and antibiotic-resistant organisms.
Why AMR is a global concern?
- More than two million people every year are affected with antibiotic-resistant
- In developing countries such as India, a rise in AMR would lead to more healthcare spending. Ex: longer stay at the hospital, expensive drugs.
- Antimicrobial resistance is putting the gains of the Millennium Development Goals at risk and endangers achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
- The failure to treat infections caused by resistant bacteria also poses a greater risk of death.
- Increase in the cases of AMR in India will also prevent us from reaping the dividends of demographic growth.
AMR in India: Recent study
- The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in street fruit juices being sold in Delhi has been reported by a study published in the 13th issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Antibiotic susceptibility tests indicated that all strains collected in India were resistant to ampicillin and cefotaxime, but susceptible to Chloramphenicol.
- The study also reported that the use of municipal water by 95 per cent of vendors, with a high total bacterial count, could be a source of microbial contamination in all types of fruit juices as vendors use this for dilution or making ice.
- The resistance of common infection causing, or food-borne bacteria such as E coli and Salmonella sp to these antibiotics is of great public health concern, as infection by such bacteria will be difficult to treat since they may not respond to these antibiotics.
What accelerates the antimicrobial resistance and also it’s spread in the society?
- No unified mechanism either internationally or nationally to address this challenge
- The absence of stringently framed and implemented regulatory frameworks to limit the use of antimicrobials in livestock and food animals, especially for non-therapeutic purposes, has been one of the drivers of antibiotic overuse at the community level.
- In India, current effluent standards do not include antibiotic residues, and thus they are not monitored in the pharmaceutical industry effluents.
- More connected world in 21st century could serve as an excellent carrier to transfer these superbugs to every part of the globe which will create a global wide health concern much like Covid-19.
AMR and how India has tried to tackle this challenge so far:
- The National Health Policy 2017 highlights the problem of antimicrobial resistance and calls for effective action to address it.
- In 2012, India’s medical societies adopted the Chennai Declaration, a set of national recommendations to promote antibiotic stewardship.
- India’s Red Line campaign demands that prescription-only antibiotics be marked with a red line, to discourage the over-the-counter sale of antibiotics.
- National Action Plan on AMR resistance 2017-2021 has been put in place.
- India has instituted surveillance of the emergence of drug resistance in disease causing microbes in programmes on Tuberculosis, Vector Borne diseases, AIDS, etc.
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned the use of antibiotics and several pharmacologically active substances in fisheries.
- The government has also capped the maximum levels of drugs that can be used for growth promotion in meat and meat products.
Some more measures that could be taken to address this issue in India:
- Creating awareness about the use and abuse of antibiotics among the doctors, people and pharmacies in the society
- Improve surveillance of antibiotic-resistant infections
- Strengthen policies, programmes, and implementation of infection prevention and control measures.
- Regulate and promote the appropriate use and disposal of quality medicines
- Prevent infections by regularly washing hands, preparing food hygienically, avoiding close contact with sick people, practicing safer sex, and keeping vaccinations up to date.
- Only use antibiotics when prescribed by a certified health professional.
- Invest in research and development of new antibiotics, vaccines, diagnostics and other tools.
World Antimicrobial Awareness Week is a global campaign that aims to increase awareness of antimicrobial resistance worldwide and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policy makers to avoid the further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections.
Conclusion
The world urgently needs to change the way it prescribes and uses antibiotics; particularly in India. Even if new medicines are developed, without behaviour change, antibiotic resistance will remain a major threat. Behaviour changes must also include actions to reduce the spread of infections through vaccination, hand washing, practicing safer sex, and good food hygiene.
General Studies – 3
Topic : Disaster and disaster management. Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, – different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.
Reference: Down to Earth
Why the question:
The author explains in detail the menace of locusts spread in India and the damage they are causing to the Indian agriculture and in what way India should overcome it.
Key Demand of the question:
Explain in detail the factors contributing to Locust spread in the country and discuss solutions to address it.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Swarms of locusts were sighted early in India and in areas not historically associated with such sightings. While India is grappling with several disasters like Covid-19 pandemic, Cyclone Amphan and others, the Locust Warning Organization has warned of one of the worst desert locust attacks in decades.
Body:
India has not witnessed full-blown locust cycles since 1993. Heavy rains and an increasing number of cyclones, both are a result of the climate crisis, enabled unprecedented breeding and the rapid growth of locust populations on the Arabian Peninsula, last year.
The high magnitude of insects attack and their early arrival highlights a critical aspect of global warming i.e. it may link disparate disasters — floods, pandemics and pestilence — amplifying the potency of each.
Thus, to deal with natural disasters like locust attacks, there is a need to develop an integrated framework of climate change mitigation, disaster management and sustainable development.
Explain what solutions can be made to address the issue – short term and long term.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Introduction
Locusts normally arrive during July-October, but have already caused chaos in Rajasthan. At a time India is battling coronavirus pandemic, locusts present a new worry with their potential for exponential growth and crop destruction. Standing crops and vegetables in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh face a major threat as swarms of locust have been reported a month in advance. There is an alert for Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Delhi as well.
Body
Desert locusts are considered to be natives of Saudi Arabia or the Arabian Peninsula. Following the monsoon winds, they arrive in India – in Rajasthan and Gujarat particularly – every year.
Factors for the recent locust attack:
- The recent positive strong Indian Ocean Dipole brought torrential rainfall in most parts of India. This resulted in sand becoming heavily moisture-laden resulting in the formation of several locust swarms.
- Favourable winds in the region and milder summer this year has also led to insects occupying a much larger territory than they usually would have. (Their original territory of effect being- West Asia, Oman, Yemen and in the Horn of Africa)
- The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has opined that the super cyclone Amphan that made landfall on the Sunderbans on May 20 resulted in strong northwesterly winds. This increased the effect of these insects to as far as Chhattisgarh
- The FAO predicts locusts could soon reach Odisha and Bihar due to increased wind speeds.
- Locust swarms are moving towards states like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra where cyclones and heavy unseasonal rainfalls, induced by western disturbance between March and May, have initiated vegetation growth.
- It is estimated that by the end of June, most swarms in the country would attain maturity. They would turn yellow and settle down for breeding. That would also be the time when monsoon rains sweep across northern and central India and the Kharif crop cycle begins, making ample food available for them.
Impact of this locust attack
- While locusts only nibble away the leaves of mature trees, they can gobble up entire saplings in a single morning, leaving no trace of vegetation.
- If the infestation is not controlled now, their next generation will threaten the country’s food security that largely depends on Kharif crops such as rice, maize and sorghum.
- The high magnitude of insects’ attack and their early arrival highlights a critical aspect of global warming i.e. it may link disparate disasters — floods, pandemics and pestilence — amplifying the potency of each.
Measures taken by India to address this challenge:
- The nodal authority for dealing with locusts is the Locust Warning Organisation (LWO) under the agriculture ministry
- The government is using drones for aerial spraying of insecticides for effective control over tall trees and inaccessible areas.
- For effective control of locusts beyond scheduled desert areas, temporary control camps have been established in Ajmer, Chittorgarh, Dausa in Rajasthan; Mandsaur, Ujjain, Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh and Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh
- Adequate stock pesticide Malathion has been maintained at Locust Control Organisations.
- Advisories have been issued to Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab regarding the locust attack and necessary measures to be taken for effective control and pesticides that are to be used for effective locust control in cropped areas.
Other measures that could be taken to address this ‘new plague’
- Low-flying planes to create atmospheric disturbance to disrupt locusts might be able to break the locust swarm apart
- In the past, management strategies have typically focused on creating exclusion zones – by burning tires to create an exclusion zone, catching them in nets or digging trenches.
- Natural predators such as wasps, birds and reptiles may prove effective at keeping small swarms at bay
- For managing more established swarms, newly-developed targeted microbial bio-pesticides, such as the fungus-based “Green Muscle”, offer a larger-scale solution.
- Considerable resources are to be allocated to early warning and preventative control strategies
- Cooperation between several countries in the region which are under the risk of being affected by this menace
Conclusion
Controlling locust swarms is no easy task. And the larger the swarms, the more difficult the task becomes. In the long-term, Prevention, then, is likely the best medicine, but this requires keeping a very keen eye out by the all stakeholders involved.
Topic : GS-3: role of media,
GS-4: Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics – in private and public relationships. Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of Family society and educational institutions in inculcating values.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The article is premised on the theme of Media ethics and its deterioration.
Key Demand of the question:
Explain why the Media is failing in its ethical standards.
Directive:
Analyze – When asked to analyse, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
State some key facts justifying the context of the question.
Body:
The pandemic is one of the many ills affecting journalism. Indian broadcasting has become ‘narrow casting’ in terms of its social outlook, its adherence to standards, its ethical framework, and its growing inability to identify hate speech.
Best way is to explain via recent examples of how some television channels have handled the tragic death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput or the bizarre programme on the “infiltration of Muslims” in the Civil Services on Sudarshan News, which was stayed by the Delhi High Court.
Suggest that the media should not narrate the story in a manner so as to induce the general public to believe in the complicity of the person indicted. Publishing information based on gossip about the line of investigation by the official agencies on the crime committed is not desirable. It is not advisable to vigorously report crime related issues on a day-to-day basis and comment on the evidence without ascertaining the factual matrix.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Introduction
Media makes us aware of various social, political and economic activities around us. It is like a mirror which reveals us the bare truth and harsh realities of life. A news media, be it in print form or TV/radio, its main job is to inform people about unbiased news without any censorship or tampering. An accountable media can lift the nation to heights by providing a sturdy support for its development and an unaccountable media can cause disarray in the society. In recent times in India, unfortunately, the latter trend is more observed than the former.
Body:
The recent handling of Sushanth Singh Rajput suicide case by various media outlets has once again showcased the falling levels of ethics in the journalism arena. A news report on the “infiltration of Muslims” in the Civil Services on Sudarshan News, which was stayed by the Delhi High Court, such news shows based solely on dividing the society or using the fault cracks that have developed in the society between various communities has been increasing.
What are the underlying causes for this phenomenon?
- Corporatization of media houses: Over a past few year media in our country has become advocates of different political parties and voice of corporate; this is particularly true of electronic and online media.
- Profit motive: There has been an increasing on profitability of the business; this has increased sensationalistic attitude among many media houses to capture the attention of the watchers. Ex: Aarushi Talwar media trial case, day-to-day coverage and commenting on sensationalistic topics.
- Political parties- Media house nexus: Many news media have started selective reporting. Apart from that they have also started imposing views.
- Media houses along with other related social media has become a platform to spread misinformation in the society.
- Media has also become a platform which is used by certain political parties to discredit journalists, legally harass publications, publicly trash specific journalists, and orchestrate threats of violence.
- Many media houses in the country also do not reflect the social diversity in the country. This reflects badly when religiously sensitive issues are taken up by media houses.
Impact of this situation
- Commenting on the evidence without ascertaining the factual matrix related to the issue will bring undue pressure in the course of fair investigation and trial. Ex: Aarushi Talwar case.
- Public trust in the media will erode rapidly.
- Truth is often sidelined during a sensationalistic coverage on an issue. This will have deleterious effects for a democracy and for also justice delivery on the issue.
- Media is a platform through which citizens can hold the people in power accountable. However, a corporatized media will not help in serving that purpose.
Certain laws in India to address this situation
- Press Council of India, a regulatory body, can warn, admonish or censure the newspaper, the news agency, the editor or the journalist or disapprove the conduct of the editor or the journalist if it finds that a newspaper or a news agency has violated journalistic ethics.
- News Broadcasters Association (NBA) represents the private television news and current affairs broadcasters. The self-regulatory body probes complaints against electronic media
- Broadcasting Content Complaint Council (BCCC) admits complaints against TV broadcasters for objectionable TV content and fake news.
- Sections153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) can be invoked to guard against fake news.
What could be done to address this situation?
- Italy, for example, has experimentally added ‘recognizing fake news’ in school syllabus. India should also seriously emphasize cyber security, internet education, and Fake news education in the academic curriculum at all levels.
- Strict following of codes of ethics related to journalism and advice of news body related bodies such as Press Council of India. Ex: PCI recently advised media trials and vigorous reporting on certain sensational topics.
- Stricter and an unbiased regulation of sensationalism based journalism by the government.
- Ensuring the independent nature of the media houses to ensure they do not become a platform for political parties to spread their ideology. This can be done by ensuring that the media house related information is available to the general public.
Conclusion
Sensationalism in journalism should give way to news reporting based on true and unbiased facts. Emphasis should be given on regaining the trust of the people on the media reporting. Failure to do so will result in the dilution of fourth pillar of the democracy in our country; thereby affecting the overall strength of democracy in our country
General Studies – 4
Topic: Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance.
Reference: researchgate.net
Why the question:
Question is based on the theme of accountability and its importance in administration.
Key Demand of the question:
One has to explain in what way ensuring accountability in the administration often just adds another layer in the bureaucratic process.
Directive:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must look into the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Give the definition of accountability.
Body:
Accountability means to take ownership of the outcomes of an action and address the issues arising out of it fairly and promptly. Thus, it involves two parts: answerability as well as enforcement. Sometimes, transparency, which is the first step to extract accountability, is also included.
It is argued that accountability compromises efficiency by adding another bureaucratic layer: The officers spend their time in maintaining records or answering RTIs etc., which can otherwise be utilized to perform executive tasks. It makes them status quoist in their conduct. They may stop taking decisions for fear of public scrutiny.
Differentiate between accountability and responsibility.
Suggest steps to ensure effective accountability.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Introduction
Accountability is defined as the process in which public agencies and civil servants operating inside the public administration answer to the public, directly or through the parliament, for public policy, financial management and administrative discretion.
Body
Public accountability in administration is important because it provides a democratic means to: monitor and control government conduct, prevent the development of concentrations of power, and enhance the learning capacity and effectiveness of public administration.
How is accountability effected in a society generally?
- Bureaucratic/hierarchical accountability, in which administrators’ behavior is tightly controlled by superiors within an organization
- Legal accountability, in which administrators’ and agencies’ behavior is closely controlled by legally empowered external principals, such as legislators
- Professional accountability, in which technically expert administrators are expected to exercise considerable discretion, guided by shared professional norms and standards
- Political accountability, in which administrators and agencies are expected to employ their judgment in responding directly to the expectations of the individuals or groups comprising the agency’s political constituencies
In India, executive is accountable to Legislature. Both legislature and executive are accountable to the judiciary in our country. All the three organs of our democracy is accountable to constitution of India (meaning people of our country)
Apart from the above we also have various acts and institutions in our polity to ensure our officers are accountable for their actions such as- Lokpal, Lokayuktas in various states, right to Information Act etc.
All these have increased transparency vis-à-vis public administration which in turn helps the civil society to hold administrators accountable. Ex: Various RTI report have exposed corruption in the bureaucracy which led to justice being delivered in several cases (Vijay Mallya money laundering case, Coal scam etc)
However, in recent times there has also been a growing concern that the above accountability measures have caused a policy paralysis in the administrators fearing adverse actions by their seniors or judiciary for any of their decisions taken. Such fears have emanated due to- Rising instances of RTI being applied to threaten an officer to change his decision or affect his career.
There is also a perception that accountability mechanisms create an unnecessary hurdle in the administrative process. Ex: Environmental clearances for development projects are often delayed thereby affecting delivery of the service for the citizens.
However, such fears and concerns should not be allowed to dilute the accountability mechanisms in the country. The reasons for this are:
- Diluting accountability mechanism will erode the trust people have on the system
- Tackling challenges such as corruption becomes difficult.
- Service delivery in the administration will be affected in the society.
- Enforcement of conduct rules and ethics will also be difficult.
Can we achieve effective accountability without compromising on efficiency in the administration?
Yes, it is possible. The ways to do that are:
- Ensuring honest officers are not victimized due to any frivolous complaints
- Stricter penalties for those who file frivolous complaints
- Any cases filed against an officer should be dealt with in stipulated time. Ex: Departmental proceedings or judicial proceedings should be completed in a fair time. In India, we often come across cases, where officers have been vindicated of all the corruption charges only after decades of legal hassles. Such a situation makes it much more difficult for present officers in the administration to work without pressure
Conclusion
Empowerment of our citizens can be possible if growth is founded on effective accountability of our officers. Such growth is sustainable only if it is premised on an ethical code of governance. When the story of India is written, it should be written that accountability was the solution and not the problem wherein the State and the civil society was the facilitator and not the predator.
