Gist of The Hindu December 2013

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G istof
THE HINDU
B HEADSOFREGULATORYBODIESSHOULD
BEACCOUNTABLETOPARLIAMENT
Tomakcopappoinmcns ransparcn, hc
Damodaran Commicc has rccommcndcd
ha hcads o rcgulaory bodics and hcir
board-lcvcl mcmbcrs bc madc accounablc
o Parliamcn.
Thcrc should bc a ransparcn syscm in
which hcad o hc rcgulaory body and his
board-lcvcl collcagucs appcar bcorc an
appropriac parliamcnarycommicconcc
insixmonhs orcpor onhcdcvclopmcns
o hc prcvious six monhs and hc broad
planor hcncx six monhs.
Such cvidcncc as would bc givcn by scnior
uncionarics o rcgulaory organisaions
shouldbcinhc public domain, unlcss spccial
circumsanccs rcquirc any par o i o bc
kcp ousidc hc public domain, hc
commission, sc upby hcCorporacAairs
Minisry, said in onc o is major
rccommcndaions on rcgulaory
archiccurc.
This is hc irs imca commicc has alkcd
abou makingrcgulaory bodics accounablc
o Parliamcn.
Thc commicc, hcadcdby hc ormcr SFBI
Chairman, M. Damodaran, was sc up acr
a WorldBank rcpor rankcd India 182ndon
hccasco doingbusincssin2012, wcll bclow
hc ohcr counrics o BRICS andhc Souh
AsianAssociaionor Rcgional Coopcraion
(Saarc).
Thc rcpor says Indias rcgulaory
archiccurcis gcingincrcasingly complcx
wihhccsablishmcn o ncwbodics, which,
howcvcr, arcinadcquacly cmpowcrcdand
insuicicnlymanncd. Thccommiccis o
hc srongvicwha bcorc scingupancw
rcgulaory organisaion, adcquac hough
should go ino hc nccd or such an
organisaion and hc abiliy o man i
appropriacly and vcs i wih uncional
auonomy. Thc rcgulaory bodics should
undcrakc a scl-cvaluaion oncc in hrcc
ycars and pu hc oucomc in hc public
domainor inormcddcbacanddiscussion.
Rccrring o hc concnious issuc o
appoinmcn, hc commicc says hcads o
rcgulaory bodics should bc appoincd in a
morc ransparcn manncr han is hc casc
now. Thc pracicc o inviing applicaions
rom incrcscd candidacs and subjccing
hcm o incrvicws by a pancl o pcrsons
amiliar wihhc organisaion is hc surcs
way o causc loss o public conidcncc no
only in hc proccss bu also in hc
organisaion. Thc cnirc proccss shouldbc
ransparcn andshouldrcplicachc proccss
ollowcdinsomcdcvclopcdcounrics whcrc
hc suiabiliy o a candidac is hc subjcc
o inormcd public discussions bcorc
appoinmcn. To appoin an applican or a
supplican ohcada rcgulaoryorganisaion
is ocnsurc hc subopimal pcrormancc o
hc organisaion and is rcsulan loss o
crcdibiliy.
Thc commicc consiscd o ITC Croup
ChairmanY.C. Dcvcshwar, ICICI Bank non-
cxccuivcchairmanK.V. Kamah, AdiyaBirla
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Croup Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla,
and Mahindra Croup Chairman Anand
Mahindra.
B DANGERSOF
CHILLINGONCLIMATECHANGE
Thc orhcomingIncrgovcrnmcnal Pancl on
Climac Changc(IPCC) Summaryor Policymakcrs, i
has bccn rcporcd, sacs ha hc rac o global
warming has slowcd ovcr hc las 15 ycars. I also
argucs ha csimacs o cvcnual warming rom a
doubling o carbondioxidclcvcls in hc amosphcrc
arc lowcr han was carlicr hough. Takcn
individually, cach o hcsc asscrions is a parial
narraion o ongoing climac proccsscs. Rcad
ogchcr, hcy carry hc dangcr o oscring
complaccncy, boh abou hc currcn rac o global
warming and hc urgcncy in avoiding dangcrous
lcvcls o warming.
Three theories
Thcrc havc bccn a lcas hrcc hcorics in
rcccn climac scicncc licraurc sccking o cxplain
hcslowdown, or hiaus, inglobal warming. Clobal
warming is mcasurcd by aking an avcragc o ncar-
suracc ai r cmpcraurcs all ovcr hc globc
hroughou hc ycar, bu his docs no accoun or
hc hca rappcd by grccnhousc gascs ha is
ransporcd inohc dccpcr occans. Warmingo hc
occanwacrs bclow700mcrcs has bccncxccpional
in rcccn ycars. A sudy in- -
-says ha dcphs bclow 700 mcrcs havc
bccomc much morc srongly involvcd in hc hca
upakc acr 1008, and subscqucnly accoun or
80 o hc occan warming, prcciscly hc pcriod in
whichsuraccwarminghas slowcddown. Bu dcspic
bcing ransporcd ino hc dccpcr occans, much o
his hca cncrgy will showup as warming sooncr or
lacr.
Aerosols
Anohcr proposiion is ha a prolongcd Ia
Nina-likc cooling inhc ropical Paciic has lcsscncd
hc impac o grccnhousc gascs by 0.15 Cclsius
globally in hcrcccn dccadc. I is anaural variabiliy
and, i his is hc causc, hc slowdown will bc
cmporary, as a rcccn papcr argucs (Yu Kosaka and
Shang-Ping Xic, Rcccn Clobal WarmingHiaus Ticd
o Fquaorial Paciic Suracc Cooling,, doi:
10.1088/naurc12584). Ahird hcory is ha ncar-
suracc warming is bcing maskcd by an incrcascd
gcncraion o acrosols, causcd by grcacr
manuacuring occurringinChina inhis pcriodand,
o alcsscr dcgrcc, India. This pariculac polluionis
harmul o human hcalh bu has a cooling ccc in
climac crms. In hc dccadcs acr World War II as
wcll, acrosols romdiry manuacuring proccsscs
hcn in hc dcvclopcd world slowcd suracc
warming dcspic onc o hc mos rapid racs in
carbon dioxidc cmissions growh. Unlikc CO{-
2]hough, acrosols havc a licspan o a cw days,
clcan upyour indusrial ac, and hcir cooling ccc
promply disappcars. Thcscvaricdcxplanaions hclp
orm a morc complcc picurc o ongoing climac
proccsscs. Onc assumcs ha his morc complcx
picurc would bc prcscncd, i no in hc AR5
Summary or Policymakcrs, hcn in hc Tcchnical
Summary, which in IPCCs AR4 2007 was ovcr our
imcs as long as hc ormcr. I would bc prcmaurc
o rush o a dcinic opinion bcorc sccing wha
hcsc documcns say, and hcaring indcpcndcn
scicniic opiniononhcm. Thc hal has no bccnold
us.
Thc sccond major rcvclaion is ha hc lowcr
cnd o cvcnual warming roma doubling o carbon
dioxidc lcvcls has bccn rcduccd rom 2C in hc
IPCCs 2007 AR4 rcpor, o 1.5C. Somc havc
argucd, hough, ha mos such csimacs do no
includc slow ccdbacks. Fccdbacks, in hc climac
concx, arc ccosyscmrcsponscs oglobal warming
ha usually causc urhcr warming. Thc cccs o
slowccdbacks suchas rcduccdalbcdo rclcciviy
rom hc grca icc shccs in Anarci ca and
Crccnland, and grccnhousc gas rclcascs rom hc
occans on hcir gcing warmcr (in conras o
absorbing hcm now) akc much longcr o play
ou. Including slow ccdbacks in hcir analysis lcd
3amcs Hanscn, among hc worlds mos rcspcccd
climac scicniss, andohcrs oconcludcha global
climac scnsiiviy includinghcslowsuracc albcdo
ccdback is 6dcgrccs Cclsius or doublcdCO{-2].
Carbon dioxidc may bc much morc pocn han wc
rcalisc. Again, pcrhaps i is bcs o kccpconclusions
inabcyancc unil wc ully hcar wha hc IPCChas o
say.

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Melting in the Arctic
Wha isrcally worryingis hccomplaccncy ha
hcsc wo poins ha warming is slowing and
CO{-2]is lcss pocn rcadogchcr may cngcndcr.
As i is, sccions o hc Indian poliical class arc no
cxacly known or hcir alacriy in rcsponding o
criscs accdby hc poor. Making hcmrcspondwih
grcacr urgcncy bccomcs all hc morc diicul i
complaccncy abou global warming sprcads among
poliical organisaions andmcmbcrs o hc public a
largc. I havc alrcady bccn askcd, a wo alks in hc
las onc wcck: bu hc warmingisslowingdown, isn
i` Fvcn as wc spcak, hc world is acing hc dcad-
ccrain prospcc o largcly icc-rcc Arcic summcrs
or hc irs imcina lcas 2.5millionycars. Icc-rcc
Arcic summcrs will nudgc us cvcn closcr o
dangcrous or cvcnirrcvcrsiblc warming. Thcnccdor
ha urgcncy has ncvcr bccngrcacr.
B AVAHANINDIAPROJECTPREVENTED
OVER6LAKHHIVINFECTIONS:LANCET
ThcBill andMclinda Cacs Foundaion-undcd
Avahanprogrammcmay havc prcvcncd ovcr 6lakh
HIVinccions inIndia ovcr 10ycars, according o a
rcpor in .
I may bc rccallcd ha a 2011 sudy, by ohcr
insiucs, also showcd ha hc projcc prcvcncd
onc lakh rcshHIVcascs in ivc ycars in hc gcncral
populaion by launching incrvcnion programmcs
among argccd groups. Thc Avahan India AIDS
Iniiaivc was launchcd in 2008, as a largc scalc,
argccd incrvcnion prcvcnion programmc and
was implcmcncd inAndhra Pradcsh, Maharashra,
Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Nagaland. Thc sudy
lookcd a 60 di sri cs in Andhra Pradcsh,
Maharashra, KarnaakaandTamil Nadu.
Govt., NGOs involved
Avahan workcd wih Sac govcrnmcn
agcncics and local non-govcrnmcnal agcncics o
work wih high-risk groups, including cmalc scx
workcrs andmcnwhohavcscx wihmcn. Thcrc wcrc
ohcr componcns ha includcd rcaching ou o
ruck drivcrs and injccing drug uscrs, bu hcy wcrc
in disrics ousidc hc scopc o hc cvaluaion,
auhors Michacl Picklcs c al cxplaincd. Thc rcsuls o
hc asscssmcn indicacd ha ovcr hc irs our
ycars o hc programmc, 42 pcr ccn o hc HIV
inccions wcrc avcrcd, andovcr 10ycars, i rosc o
57pcr ccn. Thcsudy cxamincdcurrcn HIVrcnds,
obscrvcd wih cpidcmiological sudics, comparcd i
o wha hc numbcr o inccions migh havc bccni
condom usc had no bccn promocd by hc
programmc. Thc dicrcncc was csimacdobc hc
numbcr o HIVinccions prcvcncd.
Rccciving unding rom hc Bill and Mclinda
Cacs Foundaion, hc lacs sudy was donc by hc
School o Public Hcalh, Impcrial Collcgc, Iondon, in
associaionwihanumbcr o organisaions, including
hc IondonSchool o Hygicnc andTropical Mcdicinc,
Naional AIDS Rcscarch Insiuc, Punc, and S.
3ohns Mcdical CollcgcandHospial, Bangalorc.
Thc rcscarchcrs ound ha in 24 disrics,
62,800 inccions wcrc prcvcncd in hc irs our
ycars o hc programmc. Bycxrapolaing hc rcsuls
o all 60 disrics hcy csimac ha 2,02,000
inccions wcrc prcvcncd in hosc our ycars, wih
87pcr ccn o inccions avcrcdin Andhra Pradcsh,
80 pcr ccn Karnaaka, 8 pcr ccn in Maharashra
and 25 pcr ccn in Tamil Nadu. Ovcr 10 ycars, his
numbcr rosco6,06,000across all disrics.
Our rcsuls providccvidcncc or a largc-scalc
incrcasc inconsiscn condomuscinhighrisk groups
sincc hc sar o hc Avahan programmc, hc
auhors havcrccordcd. Thc srcngh o cvidcncc or
cccivcncss o public hcalh incrvcnions in
handling HIV prcvcnion has jus bccn bolscrcd
wihhis sudy.
B RATIFYTHISCONVENTION
Thc cnry ino orcc o hc landmark global
convcnion ha lcgallyrccogniscs domcsic work as
cconomically producivc aciviy makcs i cvcn
hardcr ocouncnancchclong oicial ncglcc o his
sccor in India. This ncw sandard adopcd by hc
Incrnaional Iabour Organisaion (IIO) mandacs
sacs o promoc hc rccdom o associaion and
hc righ o collccivc bargaining bcwccn domcsic
workcrs and hcir cmploycrs, and hc cccivc
aboliion o child labour in his sccor. Bu hc ask
o mobilisingdomcsic workcrs oasscr hcir righs
oair crms o cmploymcn is mos ormidablc. Thc

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workplacc is an cxrcmcly amorphous crm in his
paricular concx, as i ypicallyconnocs morchan
onc houschold.
Thc isolacd and unprocccd naurc o hc
aciviy cxposcs workcrs, morc han 80 pcr ccn o
whom arc womcn, o grcacr vulncrabiliy. A high
rac o ariion is also a acor, as migran groups
consiuc hc mainsay o domcsic labour. No
surprisingly, barcly10pcr ccn o domcsic workcrs
around hc world arc covcrcd by gcncral labour
lcgislaionincomparisonwihhoscinohcr sccors.
A2018IIOrcpor shows ha hcAsia-Paciic rcgion
has hc maximum prcvalcncc o domcsic labour,
abou 41 pcr ccn. Bu i is hc wcakcs in crms o
lcgal proccion only hrcc pcr ccn o workcrs
arc cnilcd o a wcckly day o as comparcd o hc
global avcragco 50pcr ccn. 3us onc pcr ccn o hc
Asia-Paciic domcsic workorcc is cnilcd o
sipulacdmaximumhours o worka wcck. Righs o
minimum wagcs and macrniy bcncis ha arc
norms inIainAmcrica arc aar-cry inAsia.
In India, which has cigh pcr ccn o hc
worlds domcsic workcrs, acmps o cxcnd lcgal
proccion o his sccor dac back o a privac
mcmbcrs bill in Parliamcn in hc 1050s. Bu hc
closcs any lcgislaurc has movcd o rcalisc hc
objccivc is hc rcccn inclusion o his cacgory in
hc Tamil Nadu Manual Workcrs Ac, bcsidcs lcgally
guaranccdminimumwagcsinKcralaandKarnaaka.
Fnilcmcns oawcckly day o, paidlcavcandohcr
long crm bcncis arc no lcss lcgiimac dcmands
and arc imporan scps o augmcn hcir social
saus as workcrs. Thc dcmand or domcsic
workcrs is said o bc on hc incrcasc givcn hc
changing proilc o hc Indian amily, hc agcing
proccss andurbanisaion. Thc raiicaiono hc IIO
convcnion will bc an imporan scp in improving
hc lo o hc millions cmploycdinhis sccor. Bu i
will alsonccdcnablingdomcsic lcgislaion. As a irs,
Parliamcn should considcr acing cxpcdiiously on
hc 2008 dra bill proposcd by hc Naional
Commission or Womcn ha sccks o rcgulac
working condiions or domcsic workcrs.
B TIMETOBRIDGETHISRIVERDIVIDE
Much o Souh Asia is now hauncd by hc
spccrco hydro-clccriciy. A hcar rcmains hc sub-
conincns unsolvcdriddlco rying omcaningully
sharc is manyrans-boundaryrivcrs. Fxising rivcr
dcvclopmcn modcls, as all govcrnmcns havc lcarn,
arc indccd a zcro sum gamc: in which a bcnci
cxraccd rom onc poin o hc rivcrs scm will
incviably involvc acos a anohcr poininhc low.
For all hc carcul wording ha has gonc ino
raming wacr rcaics, sharing agrccmcns or
coopcraionmodcls, hcovcrwhclmingac rcmains
ha cvcry counry in hc rcgion is cncrgy sarvcd,
poliically impaicn and is compcllcd o ap rivcrs
or hydropowcr.
Claim for compensation
In April o his ycar, hc govcrnmcn o
3ammuandKashmir loudly rcsacdancarlicr claim
or compcnsaion. This dcmand or inancial
rcimburscmcn was madc no only upon hc
govcrnmcn o India bu in ancqually cmphaic onc
on Pakisan as wcll. And hc sourcc o his winncd
naurc o 38Ks gric, as hcy dramaically poin ou,
is hc Indus Wacr Trcay (IWT). Signcd in 1060
bcwccn India and Pakisan, hc IWT, ironically
cnough or 38K, coninucs o bc cclcbracd as a
diplomaic-lcgal-cchnical succcss soryinhc rcgion.
Thc conscnsus ovcr hc IWT, in ac, has no only
hcld and cndurcd wars bu arguably, as wcll, ocrs
onc o hc mos subsanial sc o proocols or
addrcssing dispucs and disagrccmcns ha may
arisc ovcr wacr sharing. Bu clcarly his curriculum
viac o hc IWT has ailcd o imprcss hc 38K
govcrnmcn, which has cvcn gonc on o hirc hc
scrviccs o aprivacconsulancyirmM/SHalcrow
India Iimicd and askcd i o asscss losscs ha
havc oscnsibly bccn incurrcd by hc Sac in hc
pas ivc dccadcs onaccoun o hc IWT.
According o onc such csimac, 38K sucrs
anannual loss o Rs.6,000crorc, a calculaionbascd
onhc pcrccivcdbcncis ha arcdcnicdohc Sac
rom clauscs in hc IWT ha prcvcn hc ormcr
rom soring wacr (or gcncraing clccriciy) and
romdivcring lows or irrigaional nccds. 3ammu
andKashmir is, inac, cncrgy-dcici andaccording
o hc lacs (2012-18), only 28.22
pcr ccn o hc rcquircdpowcr was gcncracd wihin
hc Sac whilc hc rcs had o bc imporcd. As o
now, 38K purchascs around 1,400 MW o powcr

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rom hc norhcrn grid and spcnds Rs. 8,600 crorc
annually on mccing is growing dcmand which
pcakcd a 2,600 MW. This, givcn hc ac ha
pocnially i cangcncrac 20,000 mcgawas rom
hc rivcrs and many cascading ribuarics ha run
hrough is vallcys and hills. Inccc, 38Ks hydro-
clccriciy dilcmmas havc urncd ino a hard rock
ha hcSac govcrnmcn is nowconinuallyhurling
agains hc IWT and bacring hc dclicac wacr
sharing agrccmcn bcwccnIndia andPakisan.
Bu i hcIWT appcars o bcailing hc pcoplc
o 38K who, gcographically spcaking, inhabi hc
hcad-rcachcs o hc Indus syscm, wha docs onc
makc o hc cnvironmcnal mcss ha has comc o
alic hc Indus dcla` Hisorically, hc csimacd
oal wacr availablc romhc Indus cachmcns has
bccn calculacd a bcing approximacly 150 Million
Acrc Fcc (MAF) (181 billion m8), a largc porion o
which hcn hurlcd as rcsh wacr lows ino hc
sprawling cdgcs o mangrovcs and csuarinc
ccologics o hc dcla. Ovcr hc pas 60 ycars or so,
howcvcr, hc quaniy o swcc wacr lows has bccn
rcduccd bclowKori (inSindhProvincc) oa pcak (in
hc hrcc monsoon monhs) o abou 84.8 MAF (48
billion m8), wih barcly 20 MAF rcaching hc
mangrovcs. In ccc, rcsh wacr lows havc bccn
scadily slurpcd o in hc lood plains, wih
divcrsions or agriculurcandindusry andrcscrvoirs
holding back volumcs or powcr gcncraion.
Imporanly as wcll, inscad o hc 400 million
onncs o nuricn richinc graincd soil ha uscdo
annually nourishhcdcla, hcrc is nowbarcly a100
million or so onncs o soil washing up along hc
coass.
Disastrous Implications
Thc long-crmconscqucnccs o his wacr and
soi l squcczc on hc dcla arc yc o bc ul ly
undcrsoodas ancnvironmcnal phcnomcna. Inac
in 2000-01, hc low downsrcam o Kori (Sindh
Provincc) was rccordcd as an unprcccdcncd nil.
Only a cw rcccn sudics (such as A. Amjad c al,
Dcgradaion o Indus Dcla
Mangrovcs , 2007)
havc akcn noc o hc pocnially disasrous
implicaions rom dying ishcrics, coasal crosion,
mangrovc dcsrucion and an incrcasc in sca wacr
ingrcss inohc coasal rcgions.
Wha docs onc makc o his simulancous
ailingandsucccsso hcIWTinhc hcad-rcachcs and
ail cnds rcspccivcly o hc Indus syscm` And
cqually, as wcll, how will his pcrplcxing
dcvclopmcnal and cnvironmcnal conundrum
impac uurcIndia-Pakisandialoguc andhc pcacc
proccss in hc rcgion` This riddlc, i could bc
pcrsuasivcly argucd, hasbccn, paradoxicallycnough,
consruccd no only by hc concx o hc IWT bu,
signiicanly as wcll, by hc pcculiariics o hc
knowlcdgc rcgimc ha has largcly inormcdrans-
boundary rivcr managcmcn inhc subconincn.
Thc IWT was oo simplisically (hough
pcrhaps appcaling in is i mc) bascd on an
cnginccringormula whichdividcd hc Indus rivcrs
(Wcscrnsrcams oPakisanand Fascrn branchcs
o India), rahcr hanrcaing hc rivcr syscmas an
organic cniy ha was ccologically linkcd and
cnvironmcnally viablc only as a conncccd
phcnomcna. Sccondly, managing hc IWT has bccn
kcp conincd o hc limicd knowlcdgc rcsourccs
gcncracd by a hin slivcr o civil cnginccrs, sac
managcrs andidcas bornc ou o diplomaic inriguc.
Thus, i hc IWT is o bc savcd rom a
poliical -, as ar as 38Ks cncrgy crisis is
conccrncd and rom a pocnial cnvironmcnal
collapsc in hc dcla, hc rcay and is wcighy
cchnical arrangcmcns havc o bc movcd bcyond
hc zcro sum logics o dividing wacrs. Inscad, a
policy archiccurc nccds obc dcsigncd ha allows
and cnablcs cconomic and cnvironmcnal
ransacions wihin hc Indus syscm. Pu
dicrcnly, rahcr han soking a poliics o
compcnsaion bascd on narrowcr or opporunisic
rcadings o hc IWTs many clauscs and anncxurcs,
hc way ahcad would bc o cra a crcdiblc
ccologically bascd cos bcnci modcl ha
acknowlcdgcs hc Indus rivcrs as an organic
hydraulic syscm: madc up o luvial
incrconnccions.
Thus, i hc hcad wacrs nccdo bc prcscrvcd
osusainccological uncions wihinhcloodplains
and hc dcla, a casc could bc madc o pay-o
sccions in hc hcad rcachcs cihcr hrough hc
ranscr o hydro-clccriciy or commcnsurac

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inancial packagcs. Similarly, i hc hcad rcachcs or
cachmcns o hc Indus syscm arc rccogniscd or
hc rangc o ccosyscm scrviccs ha hcy dclivcr
lowcr down hc syscm hcn hc lacr mus bc
cxpcccd o bc conscrvcd as a viablc cnvironmcnal
cniy.
-
Pu dicrcnly, hc govcrnmcn o 38Kcould
makc an cxccllcn casc or bcing rcwardcd or
prcscrving is rivcrs or hcir pocnial cco-syscm
scrviccs cnjoycd by downsrcam uscrs rahcr han
having o claim compcnsaion or prcsumcd los
dcvclopmcn bcncis. Thc modcl o dcvclopmcn,
hcncc or hc cachmcn, would bc rccogniscd as
involving dicrcn prioriics han hc lood plains
andhc dcla.
Byallowingsuchkindso ccologicallycalculacd
cos-bcnci ransacions across hc Indus syscm,
India and Pakisan can urn volailc cnvironmcnal
limis ino boh cconomic opporuniy and poliical
possibiliy. Thc way orward is o harncss ncw
knowlcdgc on rivcr ccology, dc-ccnrc hc civil
cnginccring mindsc andcra rcshdccision-making
collccivcs ha drawuponculurcs andradiions o
rivcr managcmcn inhc rcgion.
B MARSMISSION
LAUNCHWINDOWFROMOCT. 21TONOV. 19
Indias vcry own Mars cxcursion a journcy
o ovcr 885 million kmis jus ovcr a monh away
as hc IndianSpacc RcscarchOrganisaionprcparcs
o launch hc Mars Orbicr Mission (MOM)
spacccra bcwccn Ocobcr 21 and Novcmbcr 10
romSriharikoa.
Thc carrics ivc insrumcns or payloads o
sudy as many aspccs o Mars, including hc
dccciono mchancinis amosphcrc.
As a rcsul, hc spacccra will akc ovcr 20
days o gc on o hc pah o Mars and rcquirc six
orbi booss whcrcas ohcr Mars missions akc jus
a day. As communicaion wih hc spacccra akcs
20minucs cachway, i has manycomponcns o in-
buil auonomy o corrcc iscl. Thc ISRO has
dcvclopcdis ownnavigaionsowarc.
NASA Sending Mission
Naional Acronauical and Spacc
Adminisraion (NASA) would providc suppor o
hc ground-scgmcn opcraions rom hc Dccp
Spacc Ncwork.Abou hc samc imc hc Indian
spacccra akcs o, NASA oo will scnd up is
MAVFN (Mars Amosphcrc and Volailc Fvoluion
Mission) mission o Mars. Bu hc wo will work
indcpcndcnly, Dr. Shivakumar said.
MAVFN is schcdulcd o lcavc on Novcmbcr
18 and rcach hc rcd planc wo days ahcad o ours,
by Scpcmbcr 22 ncx ycar. MOM will havc an
cllipical orbi o 875 kmx 80,000 km, MAVFN will
akc a vcry closc look a is subjcc rom abou 50-
75km.
B AJUDGMENTINPOORTASTE
Thc rcccn nominaions o hc judgcship o
hc Madras HighCour havc crcacda lo o sir and
noisc in various quarcrs. Thc collcgium o hc
Madras HighCour (hc acingChic3usicc andwo
scnior mos judgcs) rccommcndcd 15 namcs or
appoinmcn as judgcs o hc cour. Fxcluding hc
woromscrvicc, 18 wcrc romhc Bar.
During hc proccss o consulaion, onc
advocac wihdrcw his conscn, hcrcby lcaving 12
namcs rom hc Bar or considcraion by hc
collcgiumo hc Suprcmc Cour. Thcsaidcollcgium,
onhc basis o inpus romhc Sac govcrnmcn as
wcll as hc Minisry o Iawand 3usicc, ook noc o
hc objccions raiscd by a sccion o hc Madras Bar
and rccommcndcd only six namcs o advocacs o
hc IawMinisrywhich, inurn, will bc orwardcdo
hc Prcsidcn o India or issuing warrans o hcir
appoinmcns.
Flawed argument
Thc Suprcmc Courcollcgiumrcduccd hclis
rccommcndcd by hc Madras High Cour
collcgium by hal, hcrcby indicaing ha i had
applicd is mind o hc namcs rccommcndcd.
Howcvcr a his juncurc, ccrain misinormcd
lawycrs raiscdprocss wihrccrcncc owonamcs,
S. VaidyanahanandP.N. Prakash, sainghcy wcrc
ousidcrs ohcSac (Tamil Nadu) andhcncccould
no bc appoincd. A lcadcr o a poliical pary also
joincd issuc saing ha i was no hc pracicc o
appoin pcrsons rom ohcr Sacs as judgcs in his
Sac.

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Bcorc cxamininghc mcris o hosc procss,
i may bc ncccssary o sac ha nonc o hc
procscrs has obj cccd o hc syscm o
appoinmcn bascd on rccommcndaions by hc
collcgium. In hc prcscn casc, hc Chic 3usicc o
India, P. Sahasivam, who hails romTamil Nadu, is
amiliar wihhc namcs rccommcndcd.
Thc argumcn ha pcrsons rom onc Sac
canno bc appoincd as judgcs o anohcr is no
bascd on sound acs. In suppor o his argumcn,
i issacdhaM.N. Krishnamani (hailingromTamil
Nadu) was dcnicdjudgcshipo hcDclhi HighCour.
Acually i was R. Vcnkaaramani (aScnior Advocac
in hc Suprcmc Cour) upon whosc namc bcing
rccommcndcd, hcrc was procs by a sccion o hc
Dclhi Bar in hc lac 1000s. Iacr, in 2004, S.
Ravindra Bha (hailing rom Karnaaka) was
appoincd. Iikcwisc, in 2006, Dr. S. Muralidhar, a
goldmcdallis inlawromMadras Univcrsiy, hailing
romTamil Nadu, was appoincd o hc Dclhi High
Cour.
During hc 1000s, hcBombay HighCour saw
hc appoinmcn o 3usicc Sri Krishna, who
subscqucnly go clcvacd ohc Suprcmc Cour, as
wcll as hc appoinmcn o 3usicc Radhakrishnan.
Boh wcrc rom souh India. Thc ousidcr hcory
nowbcing advanccd is conrary o hc Consiuion
o India. Undcr Ariclc 8, Parliamcn cancrcac ncw
Sacs or alcr hc cxising Sacs. Undcr Ariclc 14,
hc sac canno dcny cqualiy bcorc law o any
pcrson. Undcr Ariclc10, a ciizcno India is cnilcd
o rcsidc and sclc in any par o hc crriory o
India andcanpracisc any procssionor carry onany
occupaion. Ariclc 16(2) spcciicall y bars
discriminaionbascdonplacc o birhor rcsidcncc in
hc macr o public cmploymcns.
Fvcn sclccion o disric judgcs bclonging o
hc Sac judiciary is pan-Indian. In hc macr o
appoinmcn o a HighCour judgc, hc rcquircmcn
undcr Ariclc217is ha hcpcrsonbcing considcrcd
mus havc 10ycars o pracicc as anadvocac o hc
High Cour or mus havc hcld 10ycarsinanyjudicial
pos wihinIndia.
I is now allcgcd by a sccion ha wo ou o
hc six namcs clcarcd bclongcd oKcrala and hcncc
hcy should no bc appoincd. I has o bc sccn
whchcr such asscrions arc sound. Subscqucn o
Indias Indcpcndcncc, Sacs wcrc ormcd on
linguisic basis. Sacs Rc-organisaionCommission
(SRC) was ormcd o suggcs hc basis on which
linguisic Sacs could bc ormcd. Thc hcn Madras
Prcsidcncy compriscd arcas in which Malayalam,
Kannada, andTcluguspcaking pcoplc livcd. Thcarcas
inwhichprcdominanlyTamil spcaking pcoplc livcd
wcrc carvcd ou orm hc Madras Sac (prcscnly
Tamil Nadu). Thc Malabar arca, including Palakkad,
was mcrgcdwihCochin and Travancorc and is now
callcdhcKcrala sac.
Iikcwisc, somc pars o Kannada spcaking
arcas o hc Madras Provincc wcrc mcrgcd wih
Mysorc and bccamc hc Karnaaka Sac. Fvcn
carlicr, hc Andhra Sac was ou and arcas
comprising coasal Andhra, Rayalasccma and
Hydcrabad sac wcrc mcrgcd o bccomc Andhra
Pradcsh. Fvcn acr hc ormaion o hc linguisic
Sacs, hc Consiuion undcr Ariclcs 20 8 80,
procccdculural andcducaional righs o linguisic
minoriics. Thc Sacs Rc-organisaionAc alsogavc
lcgal guarancc o pcrsons who chosc o livc in hc
samc Sac wihou moving ohcir languagc sac.
Sincc hc objccions wcrc raiscd on wo
spcciic namcs, i is ncccssary o ind ou i hcrc is
any ruhinhcm. Advocac S. Vaidyanahans ahcr
Subramaniamwas an cmploycc o Parry 8Co, cvcn
bcorc Indias Indcpcndcncc. InassociaionwihV.C.
Row, hcn a lcading barriscr, hc oundcd hc
Commcrcial Fmployccs Associaion, hc irs radc
union or cmployccs working in shops and
commcrcial csablishmcns. Vaidyanahansudicdin
hc SingaramPillai High School a Villivakkam. Hc
dcclarcd his mohcr onguc as Tamil in hc
documcns submicdo hc High Cour. Hc did his
graduaion and law in Madras. Fvcr sincc his
cnrolmcn as an advocac (27.7.86), hc has bccn
pracising lawinhc Madras HighCour.
Similarly, advocac P.N. Prakash go his B.A.
dcgrcc rom Madras Univcrsiy and sudicd law in
hc Madras IawCollcgc. Fvcr sincc his cnrolmcn as
an advocac (18.1.1084), hc has bccn pracising in
hc Madras High Cour. Hc was appoincd spccial
public prosccuor (SPP) or narcoic cascs as wcll as
or cusoms andcxcisc.

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Gross injustice
Whcn hc wo advocacs wcrc born and
brough up in Chcnnai, complccd hcir collcgc
cducaioninChcnnai andhavc bccnpracising inhc
Madras High Cour, opposing hcir namcs (cvcn
acr i has bccn approvcd by a collcgiumhcadcd by
hc C3I acr claborac consulaion) is ccrainly
unchariablc anduncallcdor. Tocall hcmousidcrs
is gross injusicc o hcm and amouns o robbing
hc consiuional guarancc givcnohcm.
Though i is callcd hc Madras High Cour, i
has jurisdicion ovcr cnirc Tamil Nadu and hc
UnionTcrrioryoPuduchcrry. Puduchcrrycompriscs
no only Tamil-spcaking arcas (Pondichcrry and
Karaikal) bu alsoaMalayalamspcakingarca (Mahc)
and Tclugu spcaking arca (Yanam). Bcing hc High
Cour or hc wo crriorics, i has o ulil hc
aspiraions o all pcrsons living inhc wocrriorics.
Thcrcorc o alk abou ousidcr or insidcr is
a mcaninglcss cxcrcisc. I is imc hc dcmand ha
sons o hc soil alonc bc clcvacd o hc highcr
judiciary was rcjcccdas such dcmands dono ind a
placc in hc consiuional schcmc o judicial
appoinmcns.
B ARCTICICE
SHRINKINGINVOLUMETOO:ESA
Arcic sca icc, which has bccn dcclining in
arca byunprcccdcncdamouns insummcr,
is also alling involumc, saidhc Furopcan
SpaccAgcncy (FSA).
Ina prcssrclcascshowcasingindings rom
is scicnccsacllic CryoSa, FSAsaidha in
April his ycar, hc Arcics crus o icc was
hc hinncs obscrvcd in hrcc ycars o
opcraion.
Fromhc sacllics mcasurcmcns wc can
scc ha somc pars o hc icc pack icc havc
hinncdmorcrapidlyhanohcrs, bu hcrc
has bccna dccrcasc inhc volumc o wincr
and summcr icc ovcr hc pas hrcc ycars,
FSA quocd Shcphcrd as saying a a
symposiuminFdinburgh, Scoland.
Thc volumc o hc scaicc a hc cndo las
wincrwaslcsshan15,000cubickilomcrcs
[8,600 cu. Milcs], which is lowcr han any
ohcr ycar goinginosummcr, andindicacs
lcss wincr growhhanusual.
Arcic sca icc which loas on hc occan,
unlikciccshccs,whicharconlandcxpands
andconracs wihhc scasons.
In2012, is cxcn a akcy mcasuring poin
in hc summcr scason was hc lowcs on
rccord, a sign ha many cxpcrs said gavc
urhcr proo o man-madc global warming.
Somc icccxpcrs say hccluc osummcr icc
lics in wha happcns during hc wincr.
Thinncr or lcss cxcnsivc icc in wincr can
lcad o urhcr losscs in hc ollowing
summcr.
CryoSa csscniallyCryoSa-2, rcplacing
an original sacllic ha was los a launch
was akcnalo inApril 2010. AFP
B MISSINGTHEWOODSFORTHE
GREENBACK
Thc Suprcmc Cour in 3uly 2011 whilc
dclivcringhc Iaargc3udgmcn laiddownguidclincs
on orcs clcarancc proccdurcs. Thcsc wcrc o
opcrac ill a ncw rcgulaory mcchanism was pu in
placc. Twoycars acr hc judgmcn, hc Minisry o
Fnvironmcn and Forcss (MoFF) pu up a Dra
PolicyonInspccion, Vcriicaion, Monioringandhc
Ovcrall Proccdurc rclaing o gran o Forcs
Clcaranccs and Idcniicaion o Forcss or public
commcns.
Thc judgmcn prcscncd an imporan
opporuniy ohc MoFForcvampproccdurcs and
plug loopholcs, bcing cxploicd by dcvclopmcn
projcc promocrs rom boh govcrnmcn and hc
corporac sccors. Howcvcr, hc dra policy ails o
inuscncwconscrvaionidcas bascdonsoundscicncc
and misscs ou on ighcning orcs clcarancc/
monioring proccdurcs.
Impact of Fragmentation
Brcaking uplargc blocks o orcss inosmallcr
pachcs ducoill planncdinrusions bydcvclopmcn
projccs is onc o hc mos scrious hrcas o long-
crm orcs/biodivcrsiy conscrvaion. Scicniic
rcscarchhas csablishcdha suchragmcnaionhas
scvcral dcvasaing conscqucnccs. I disrups
landscapc conncciviy, crcacs ncwcdgcs, dcplccs

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biological incgriy andaccs hc sabiliy o cnirc
ccosyscms. Howcvcr, hc dra policy misscs ou on
ushcring in a undamcnal changc owards a
knowlcdgc drivcn landscapc/ccosyscm approach
ha is anchorcd inminimising hc ragmcnaiono
largc orcs blocks. Inscad, i proposcs o coninuc
wihhc ocus oncompcnsaory aorcsaionwhich
is nohing bu a ig lca o covcr up or morc
clcaranccs.
Fvcnhc only clausc inhccurrcn policy ha
could havc had somc posiivc impac in rcducing
orcs ragmcnaion is bcing clcvcrly bypasscd.
Mos Sac govcrnmcns arc rouincly rclaxing an
imporan condiion hc idcniicaion and
ranscr o an cquivalcn arca o non-orcs land
coniguous wih cxising orcss in avour o hc
orcs dcparmcn bcorc gran o Sagc II orcs
clcarancc. Proposalsarc bcingclcarcdbyimposing hc
simplcr condiion o compcnsaory aorcsaion
ovcr wicchc arca divcrcd.
Thus, an cxccllcn opporuniy o plug his
proccdural loopholc, which would cnablc hc
crcaion o viablc bucrs around procccd arcas
and climinac/minimisc orcs ragmcnaion by
cnorcing his condiion, would bc los unlcss hc
dra policyis appropriacly amcndcd. Inis currcn
orm, hc dra policy will coninuc o cncouragc
lcakagc pronccompcnsaory aorcsaionprojccs
ha cvcryonc lovcs o handlc. Howcvcr, incrms o
ccological valuc, hcy arc nohing bu a ig lca o
covcr up or morc divcrsion o orcs land or non-
orcsry usc.
Procedural Issues
Many dcvclopmcn projccs rcquirc boh
orcs and non-orcs land. Currcn guidclincs insis
ha work mus no commcncc on non-orcs land
unil prior pcrmission or hc orcs land is grancd.
This is o cnsurc ha invcsmcns arc no rcndcrcd
inrucuous. Duc o poor cnorccmcn o his
condiion, many projcc promocrs clcvcrly sar
work on hc non-orcs land porions. Thc Forcs
Advisory Commicc (FAC) is hcn prcscncdwih a
aiaccompli. Ciinghchugc invcsmcnsmadc, hcy
hcn scck, and usually rcccivc, cx-pos aco
clcaranccs. This is paricularly ruc incascs o lincar
inrusions likc highways, powcr lincs, cc. Fvcn
hough hc Suprcmc Cour had clcarly laggcd his
aspcc and dircccd ha rcmcdial mcasurcs bc pu
inplacc, hc dra policy ails oaddrcss his.
Thc Cour had dircccd ha hc MoFF
consiuc rcgional cmpowcrcd commiccs wih
hrcc non-oicial cxpcrs in cvcry rcgional oicc o
hc MoFFoaciliac in-dcphscruinyo proposals
involving orcs landdivcrsions o bcwccnivc and
40hccarcs andall mining andcncroachmcn cascs.
Thc dra policy whilc acmping o opcraionalisc
scvcral ohcr dirccions, srangcly sidcscps his
dirccionwhichis crucial, as manyprojccsinhcivc-
40 hccarcs cacgory arc slipping hrough wih
minimal scruiny a hc Rcgional Oicc lcvcl. Many
projcc promocrs arc also spliing up projccs o
kccpi undcr 40hccarcs oavoid rigorous scruiny.
Monitoring is Weak
I has bccn admicd in hc dra policy ha
monioring is hc wcakcs linkinhc orcs clcarancc
proccss. Howcvcr, hc amcndmcns appcar grossly
inadcquac. Thcscwill bccxploicdby unscrupulous
projcc promocrsparicularly as hcrc is scarccly any
major cascwhcrc puniivcacion likc canccllaiono
orcs clcarancc has bccn iniiacd. Hardly any
oicial has cvcr bccn prosccucd or abcing hc
violaion o hc Forcs Conscrvaion Ac cvcn
hough hcrc arc glaring cxamplcs o orcs oiccrs
glossing ovcr acs and urnishing alsc daa on hc
basis o whichprojccs havc bccnclcarcd.
Acr sccuring pcrmissions bascd on such
dubious daa, mos projcc promocrs commi
violaions which arcclcarly incnional knowing ull
wcll ha i work cxcavaions/oundaions/
buildings/rcc cuingsars a hcwrong placcor
along a wrong alignmcn or locaion o a owcr or
bridgc, i is bound o gc rcgulariscd. I is common
knowlcdgc ha wihou igh prcvcnivc mcasurcs
or imcly dcccion, as is hc siuaion now, hcrc is
lilc scopc or rcciicaionlacr. Unorunacly, hc
dra policy ails o plug hcscglaring lacunac.
Wha is urgcnly rcquircdis a brand ncwour-
sagc monioring proccss ha kicks ina hc imc
o projcc commcnccmcn whcn brcaking/clcaring/
marking/oundaion work bcgins o cnsurc
conormiy wihhcapprovcdmascr plan, duringall
kcy idcniicd milcsoncs o hc projcc o bc

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mandaorily discloscdinhcproposal, rcgular annual
and bi-annual monioring by auhoriics wih non-
oicial cxpcrs on hc rcgional cmpowcrcd
commiccs, and, inally, random or surprisc
inspccions in a lcas 10 pcr ccn o cascs including
hosc whcrc complains o violaions havc bccn
rcccivcd.
Geographical Information
As rcgardshcdirccionocrcac a gcographic
inormaion syscm (CIS) daabasc, hc rcviscd
proccdurc should havc spcciically providcd or
projccion and rcvicw o high rcsoluion, and imc
scrics sacllic imagcry o hc arca proposcd o bc
divcrcd a all mccings o hc various commiccs
askcd o dclibcrac on proposals. This would no
only hclpindccciono violaions/non-compliancc
bu also o cvaluac ohcr crucial aspccs likc
cumulaivc impacs, ragmcnaion o habia, hc
sic-spcciic naurc o hc projcc or ohcrwisc,
wildlic corridor valucs, cc.
Yc anohcr imporan dirccion o hc
Suprcmc Cour was o cnsurc ha hc orcs
clcarancc proccss was compl ccd bcorc hc
cnvironmcn clcarancc proccss incascs whcrci was
mandaory or projccs o obain boh. Thc dra
policy couldhavc crcaivcly addrcsscdhis aspcc by
includingadcailcd proccdurco aormal incgracd
public consulaion, similar ohc onc prcscribcdor
cnvironmcn clcarancc. Appropriac addiions o
covcr orcs impacs such as loss o orcs land,
habia ragmcnaion, hrcas o biodivcrsiy/
cndangcrcdspccics, habia nichcs andrclacdissucs
couldhavcalsobccnincludcd.
Considcringall hcscaspccs, i clcarlycmcrgcs
ha hc dra policy appcars o bc wcak and no
bascd on sound scicniic principlcs. I is crvcnly
hopcdha hcMoFFakcs upahoroughrcvicwand
carrics ou appropriac modiicaions ocnsurc ha
conscrvaion akcs prcccdcncc ovcr clcarancc o
orcs landor non-orcsry purposcs.
B EASINGTROUBLESINTHELONGRUN
Indias policymakcrs havc bccn a pains o
assurc orcigninvcsors ha hcrc will bc no rcurn
o capial conrols. This ollowcd a lowcring o hc
annual limi on orcign rcmianccs o Indian
naionals rom $200,000 o $75,000. Thc movc is
saidohavcriggcrcd a rusho oulows onhc par
o orcign invcsors carul ha hcir own
invcsmcns oo migh soon bc subjcc o capial
conrols.
Thcsc assuranccs migh makc scnsc in hc
prcscnurbulcncondiionswhcrc i isncccssaryno
o urhcr ralc orcign invcsors alrcady upsc by
hc sccp dcprcciaion in hc rupcc in rcccn
monhs. Ona longcr vicw, howcvcr, capial conrols
may no bcas unhinkablc or rcacionary as hcy arc
nowhough obc. Thc pcndulumin bohacadcmic
and policymaking circlcs appcars o bc swinging
urhcr away rom a wholc-hcarcd cmbracc o
inancial globalisaion. This swing is hcrcsul o hc
convulsions causcd by hc impcnding rcvcrsal o
quaniaivc casing (QF) in hc UnicdSacs.
Battered Currencies
Thc currcncics o scvcral cmcrgingmarkcs
India, Indoncsia, SouhArica, Brazil, onamc a cw
havc bccn bacrcd in rcccn monhs as orcign
invcsors havcwihdrawncapial inanicipaiono a
rcvcrsal o QF. Undcr QF, which hc U.S. Fcdcral
Rcscrvc commcnccd in rcsponsc o hc inancial
crisis o 2007, hc Fcd saring buying up long-
mauriy bonds in ordcr o kccp long-crm incrcs
racs low. Wc arc nowino hc hird roundo QF.
In hc currcn round, hc Fcdhas bccnbuying
up $85 billion o bonds cvcry monh or ovcr a
rilliondollars ina ycar. Thcscpurchascs cxpandhc
loodo dollars in hc U.S. markc. Sincc no all o i
can bc absorbcd wihin hc U.S., a big chunk spills
ino ohcr counrics, including cmcrging markcs.
Thc lood o dollars has hclpcd inancc low-cos
invcsmcn in hc cmcrging markcs and lcd o
apprcciaion in hcir currcncics. A rcvcrsal o QF
spclls a ligh o unds anda sccpall incurrcncics.
A S Pccrsburg, cmcrging markc lcadcrs
madca srong plca or calibrainghc winding down
o moncary simulus inhc advanccd cconomics so
as o akc ino accoun hc impac on cmcrging
markcs. Icadcrs o hc advanccd world soppcd
shor o giving suchcacgorical assuranccs. Inscad,
hcy urgcd cmcrging markcs opu hcir houscs in
ordcr by pushing hrough badly nccdcd srucural
rcorms.

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Somc commcnaors havc poincd ou ha i
may bc ill cgal or ccnral banks i n advanccd
cconomics obc guidcdbyconsidcraionsohcr han
hosc o hcir domcsic cconomics. Thc bcs ha
cmcrging markcs can hopc or is ha condiions in
hc advanccd cconomics may hcmsclvcs warran a
gradual wihdrawal o moncary simulus and,
pcrhaps, a dclay in hc wihdrawal. Thc U.S. Fcd is
cxpcccd o makc is sancc morc clcar on
Scpcmbcr 18.
Tapering of Stimulus
Thc Fcd will sar wihdrawing hc simulus
whcn i bccomcs clcar ha cconomic growh is
srongcr. Thc uncmploymcn rac argc is 6.5 pcr
ccn bu hc riggcr or a apcring, hc Fcd has
indicacd, could bc an uncmploymcn rac in hc
viciniy o 7pcr ccn.
Thc Augus jobs daa or hc U.S. shows a all
in hc uncmploymcn rac o 7 pcr ccn. So, somc
analyss bclicvc hc Fcd will wihdraw hc simulus
righ away. Tha would bc bad ncws or cmcrging
markcs. Ohcrs bclicvc ha hc Fcd wans hc
incrcs rac o rcmain low unil 2016. This would
imply ha any apcring o hc simulus would bc
vcry gradual. Tha would bc cxccllcn ncws or
cmcrgingmarkcs. Wcshouldknowlacr his monh.
Thcrc arcwoissucs ha arc rclcvan oIndia.
Firs, howdowc dcal wihhcincviablc apcring in
hc immcdiac prcscn` Sccondly, howdocmcrging
markcs in gcncral copc wih hc lows and cbbs in
moncy supply cmanaingromhc advanccd world`
Inrcspcc o hc irs, wc havc sccna lurry o
aciviy. Onassumingoicc, RBI Covcrnor Raghuram
Rajanannounccdaconccssional windowor hcdging
hc orcign currcncy risk or banks bringing in NRI
dcposis in dollars. This movc is csimacd o bring
in abou $5 billion-$8 billion ovcr hc ncx six
monhs.
Farlicr, hc RBI had announccd ha i was
opcning a swap window o scll dollars o oil
markcing companics. This is cxpcccd o casc hc
dcmand or dollars in hc markc and hcncc hc
downwardprcssurc on hc rupcc.
Furhcr, a hc C-20summi, India and3apan
agrccd o cnhancc hcir bilacral currcncy swap
agrccmcn rom $15 billion o $50 billion. This, in
ccc, cnhanccs Indias orcx rcscrvcs inhccvcn o
a major ligh o unds.
Again, a hc C-20 summi, hc BRICS
counrics announccd hc crcaion o a $100 billion
undo igh currcncy shocks. China will conribuc
$41billion, wihRussia, IndiaandBrazil cachadding
$18 billion and Souh Arica providing $5 billion.
Thcsc announccmcns havc alrcady lcd o an
apprcciaioninhcrupcc inrcccn days.
Fund Exodus
Soar, soprudcn. Thc crucial qucsionis: will
hcsc mcasurcs bc adcquac o dcal wih a massivc
cxodus o unds` Tha dcpcnds onjus howmassivc
hc cxodus will urn ou o bc. FII invcsmcns in
dcb in India sood a $28 billion on Scpcmbcr 6,
hosc incquiya $187billion. Sincc hc cndo May,
whcn hc Fcd announccd is plans o apcr QF, wc
havc had an cxi o $0 billion in dcb bu only $8
billion in cquiy. This docs indicac ha i is dcb
invcsmcns ha will bc primarily in jcopardy oncc
hc Fcdcommcnccs is apcring. Thcsc arc clcarly o
a magniudc ha India candcal wih.
Somc commcnaors havc argucd ha wc arc
in or a rcpca o hc Fas Asian crisis o 1007 and
ha India canno cscapc mauling his imc. Such
pcssimismismisplaccdor scvcral rcasons. Firs, hc
ligh o unds in 1007 was primarily on accoun o
loans madc byorcignbanks anddomcsic rcsidcns
aking hcir savings abroad. FII oulows wcrc a
rclaivcly small acor inhcligh. Sccondly, banks in
Fas Asia wcrc vulncrablc bccausc hcy had
borrowcd rom abroad o inancc a domcsic
propcry boom. This is no ruc oday o India or, or
ha macr, hc Fas Asian cconomics.
Thirdly, Fas Asian cconomics lcarn ha hc
way o dcal wih hc impossiblc riniy in an opcn
cconomy an indcpcndcn moncary policy, rcc
lows o capial and ixcd cxchangc racs is o lc
goo cxchangc racs. Floaingcxchangcracs providc
a naural corrccivc ovolailc lows. Iasly, orcign
cxchangc rcscrvcs inFas Asia as wcll as India arc a
a highcr lcvcl hanin1007rclaivc oimpors.
1997 Crisis
Onc ohcr lcsson rom hc crisis o 1007 was
ha i makcs scnsc or cmcrging cconomics o go

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slowon ull capial accoun convcribiliy. India and
China boh won plaudis or having donc so. Thc
IMF, whichhadorccullyadvocacdull convcribiliy
unil hcn, has undcrgonc a signiican convcrsion
sincc.
Is ha all hcrcis ocopingwihvolailccapial
lows` Alas, hc inancial crisis o 2007 has brough
rcshrcvclaions. A aconcrcncc a 3acksonHolc in
hc U.S. las monh, a procssor a Iondon Busincss
School, Hclcnc Rcy, argucd ha, givcn hc prcscn
scalco inancial globalisaion, cvcnloaingcxchangc
racs may no ocr cmcrging markcs adcquac
proccion.
Moncary policy in hcsc cconomics will bc a
hc mcrcy o hc policics o ccnral banks in hc
main ccnrcs o global inancc. Wha cmcrging
markcs acc is no so much hc classical rilcmma
poscd by hc impossiblc riniy bu a dilcmma: o
havc anindcpcndcn moncary policy or rcccapial
lows. Thcycanno havc boh.
Rcy hinks i unrcalisic o cxpcc ccnral
banks o advanccd cconomics odomucho prcvcn
spillovcrs o hcir moncary policics ohcrcs o hc
world. Tha lcavcs cmcrging markcs wih hrcc
opions. Onc, curb hc cxpansion o crcdi a a imc
whcn moncy comcs looding in. Two, imposc limis
onhclcvcragc o inancial incrmcdiarics. Thcsc wo
mcasurcs all wihin hc cacgory o macro-
prudcnial mcasurcs. Howcvcr, macro-prudcnial
mcasurcs arc no casily pu inplacc or inimc. Thcrc
may bc no cscapc, hcrcorc, romhc hird opion,
namcly, imposing capial conrols. Thcchallcngc or
policymakcrs in cmcrging markcs in hc ycars o
comcmay wcll bc oocus ona sc o capial conrols
ha will work, a lcas or shor pcriods.
B VACCINATIONWITHAN
INHALERRATHERTHANAJAB
WhcnancccivcvaccincagainshcHuman
Immunodcicicncy Virus (HIV) bccomcs
availablc, i maywcll bcgivcnhrougha pu
romaninhalcr rahcr hanas an injccion.
Two ycars back, Darrcll Irvinc o hc
Massachuscs InsiucoTcchnologyinhc
U.S., along wih a cam o ohcr scicniss,
rcporcd ha a pocn vaccinc could bc
madc by cnclosing immuniy-inducing
subsanccs ininycapsulcs wihscvcral ay
laycrs.
Many gcrms, includingHIV, gaincnry ino
hc body hrough mois issuc hc
mucosaha linchcairways, alimcnary
canal, andhc rcproducivcrac.
Thc nanocapsulcs hcy cscd in micc
conaincdovalbumin, ancgg-whic procin
ocnuscdinimmunologysudics, alongwih
wo molcculcs o cnhancc hc immunc
rcsponsc. Thc ovalbuminplaycdhc par o
an anigcn, hc bi o a pahogcn ha scs
o hc immunc syscms alarmsignals.
Whcn hc vaccinc was adminiscrcd o hc
airway o micc, immunc cclls parolling hc
liningo hcrcspiraoryrac cicicnlyook
inhc nanocapsulcs and produccda srong
immunc rcsponsc. Morcovcr, immunccclls
primcd by hc vaccinc wcrc dccccd inhc
gu and rcproducivcrac as wcll.
Hcandhc ohcr scicniss alsoshowcdha
micc immuniscd wih an appropriac
nanocapsulc vaccinc wcrc much bccr
procccd whcn incccd wih hc vaccinia
virus.
B METHANE
SPEWINGISLANDRISESFROMSEA
For hchirdimcin15ycars, hcmovcmcn
o cconic placs in hc Makran arca has
causcd a mchanc and mud spcwing island
o orm o hc coas o Cwadar in
Balochisan, according o hc Naional
Insiuc o Occanography (NIO), Pakisan.
Powcrul (7.7 on hc Richcr scalc)
carhquakc ncar Awaran jolcd hc
scismically acivc Makran zonc, dirccor-
gcncral o hc NIO Dr. Ali Rashid Tabrcz
old onhc phonc romKarachi.
Thc sca romCwadar o Ormara hada vas
sock o rozcn mchanc gas bclowhc sca
bcdandi was no uncommonoscc bubblcs
inhcwacr causcdbymchancgas cscaping
romissurcs.
Fxplaining hc dcvclopmcn, hc said whcn

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hcrc was a scismic movcmcn hc gas
dcposis, which cxpand crcaing high
prcssurc, pushcdupalandmasso his kind.
Thc landmass whichhadpcoplc rushing
o hc coas o vicwi is 50mcrcs long,
20 o 80 mcrcs widc and riscs 10 mcrcs
abovc hcwacr abou wokmo hc coas
o Cwadar. Thcrcis mchanc bcing cmicd
andmudoozing ou. Dr. Tabrcz saidpcoplc
shouldn goooncar sincc hcrc was somc
movcmcn bclow hc sca bcd. No boaing
or ishingshouldbc allowcdcihcr, hc said.
Thc NIOwhich has a saiona Cwadar had
scn is cchnical sa o obscrvc, akc
samplcs andphoographhc phcnomcnon.
Thc island is madc up o so scdimcn,
mosly mud, sandand cvcnrock ragmcns,
hcsaid.
Howcvcr, inhc pas i is obscrvcdha hcsc
islands dcclincslowlyduc oconsan wavc
acion in hc sca. In 1000 i was obscrvcd
ha acr our monhs, i hadvanishcd. Thc
sca bcd showcd up somc rcmnans o hc
land mass a ha imc. This phcnomcnon
was obscrvcd as ar back as 1045as wcll, hc
said.
B NPCIL, WESTINGHOUSE
TOSIGNEARLYN-AGREEMENT
Following clcarancc rom hc Aomic Fncrgy
Commissionandhc Cabinc CommicconSccuriy
onTucsdaynigh, hcNuclcar Powcr Corporaiono
India Id is all sc o sign a prc-carly works
agrccmcn or six 1,000 MWc rcacors wih
Wcsinghousc, oicial Indian sourccs said hcrc on
Wcdncsday. OnWashingons insiscncc, hc signing
has bccnrushcdodcmonsrac hc commimcn o
hc Manmohan Singh govcrnmcn o ulilling is
cnd o hc nuclcar bargain sruck wih hc U.S. in
2008ha in cxchangc or Amcricancors oli
hc global cmbargo on nuclcar salcs o India, hc
counry wouldbuya lcas 10,000MWcworho U.S.
rcacors. Thc agrccmcn, o bc signcd bcorc Primc
Miniscr Singhs mccing wihU.S. Prcsidcn Barack
Obama on Friday, marks hc irs concrcc scp
owards a ull-lcdgcd commcrcial dcal and will
involvc NPCIIpayingapproximacly Rs. 100crorc o
hc Amcrican company in cxchangc or hc
propricary inormaion nccdcd o plan hc
proposcd nuclcar park in Mihi Virdi, Cujara, and
sccurc clcaranccs romhcAomic FncrgyRcgulaory
Board. Though a lo o hard ncgoiaions arc sill
rcquircd o movc o hc ncx sagc, Indian aomic
cncrgy oicials arc conccrncd a hc uppcr limi
calculaion or hc pricc o powcr in hc proposcd
agrccmcn. According o a rcpor in
--, his sands a approximacly Rs. 12 pcr
kilowa/hour, or morc han doublc hc pricc a
which hc Russian rcacors a Kudankulam will
producc clccriciy. Whilc hcrc is somc scopc or
NPCII o bring hc pricc down during commcrcial
ncgoiaions, Indianoicials sayhcliabiliyissuc will
bc cicd by Wcsinghousc as hc rcason or kccping
hc pricchigh.
B LITTLEREASONTO
RESTRICTTHEFREEDOMOFSPEECH
I is commonknowlcdgc ha Ariclc10(1) (a)
o hc Indian Consiuion lays down ha all
ciizcns shall havc hc righ o rccdom o spccch
and cxprcssion, i is also common knowlcdgc ha
his undamcnal righ is no absoluc, as hc
immcdiacly ollowing Ariclc 10 (2) says nohing
prcvcns hc Sac rom making any law in hc
incrcss o hc sovcrcigny and incgriy o India,
hc sccuriyo hcSac [] public ordcr, dcccncy or
moraliy, or in rclaion o [] dcamaion or
incicmcn o an ocncc. Wha is no common
knowlcdgc is ha his undamcnal righ has almos
bccncrodcdcomplccly.
Thc cxcnsivc Consiuional amcndmcns
carricd ou in 1072 rcplaccd sccion 158 o hc
Indian Pcnal Codc wih sccions 158 A and 158 B.
Thcsc ncwly addcd sccions arc so cxcnsivc ha
oday, as hc incrcasing cour cascs csablish, hc
righ o rccdom o spccch and cxprcssion has
almos bccnnulliicd.
Thc rclcvan sccions arc 158A and 158 B o
hc IPCwhichpcnalisc promoing cnmiy bcwccn
dicrcn groups ongroundo rcligion, racc, placc o
birh, rcsidcncc, languagc, cc., andcommiingacs
prcjudicial o maincnancc o harmony, and
sccions 205, 205A and 208 which dcal cxclusivcly
wihrcligious harmony.

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Identifying Intentions
I is ruc ha o bc accuscd undcr hcsc
sccions, hc incnion and rcsul o hc acs o
hc accuscd arc crucial. Bu hc problcm is ha i is
almos impossiblc o concrccly idcniy cihcr
incnion or public ordcr and moraliy as, a
bcs, hcy can only bc spcculaivc. Bu wha is no
spcculaivc is ha scorcs o wricrs, spcakcrs and
hinkcrs o all cascs, crccd, andsocial posiions havc
sucrcd, andarc sucring, duc ohcsc rcasonablc
rcsricions. On mos occasions, wricrs and
spcakcrs havc bccn chargcd and arrcscd, causing
hcm mcnal anguish and physi cal/ inanci al
sucring. Apar romhcwcll-knowncascso Salman
Rushdics --, banncd in India, and M.F.
Hussain bcing orccd o lcc hc counry, hcrc arc
manyohcrsno sowcll-known. Thcyincludcwricrs,
journaliss, ariss andpublic spcakcrs. Hcrcs alis o
a cw o such cascs, in which hc provisions o IPC
158 A and B, along wih hosc o IPC 205-206 havc
bccninvokcd, lcading oimmcdiacarrcss andlong-
drawncour-procccdings.
- YogcshMascr (his Kannada
novcldcpics Cancsha, anon-Aryan
hcro as appropriacd and dciicd by hc
Aryans, accuscd o huring rcligious
scnimcns o hc Hindu communiy,
chargcdand arrcscd),
K. Scnhil Mallan(his hisorical
rcscarchworkinTamil,
acmps o racc hc roos o
Mallars, Dali communiy, chargcd wih
scdiion and pronc o disurb communal
harmony, book banncd),
ShahccnDhadaandRcnu
Srccnivasan (hcir commcns in Faccbook
rcgardingBal Thackcrays uncral proccssion,
chargcd undcr 205 Aand IT Ac 66 A, wih
huring hcrcligiousscnimcns o Hindus
andarrcscd),
RavindraKumar andAnil
Sinha(cdiorandpublishcro-,
hcy rcprincd hc ariclc Why Should I
Rcspcc Opprcssivc rcligions` by 3ohann
Hari, publishcdin , chargcd
undcr 205Aor huring hc scnimcns o
hc Muslims),
Ashish Nandi (chargcd wih
pocnial or communal violcncc or his
ariclc CriicallyAnalysinghc Oucomco
hc 2007 polls, go anicipaory bail rom
Suprcmc Cour),
IcninRoy(chargcdand
arrcscdinOdishaor wriingpro-Naxalic
ariclcs),
R.V. Bhasin(his book-
-
--, publishcdin2008, was ranslacd
ino Hindi in 2007, Chargcd wih huring
Muslimscnimcns andbanncd),
B.V. Sccharam (cdior
o and pcriodicals in Kannada,
chargcdwihdcaming3ainismandhuring
3ainscnimcns, arrcscd),
ChandramohanSrimanula (a
sudcn o inc ars in Cujara and a Iali
Kala Akadcmi Award winncr, chargcdwih
making obsccnc rcligious imagcs and
huring Hinduscnimcns and arrcscd),
NancyAdajania (a 22-ycar-old
sudcn o Bombay univcrsiy, hcr ariclc
Myh and Supcrmyh, publishcd in
- o India, on April 10-16,
1008, argucd ha ncw naions, in hcir
acmpsocsablishanidcniy, crcacicons
ou o hc pas hcrocs, shc ook hc
cxamplcs o Shivaji, Iakshmibai hc quccn
o 3hansi and Cangadhara Rao hc king, o
provc hcr hcsis. Thc publicaion lcd o a
chain o procss hroughou Maharashra,
shc was chargcdwihdcaming Shivaji and
huring hcscnimcns o Maharashrians,
andwas immcdiacly arrcscd, hc cdior o
hc wcckly cndcrcda public apology).
Thc lis is uncnding. In Karnaaka alonc, i
includcs Masi VcnkacshaIycngar (accuscd
o huring Vccrashaiva scnimcns in boh
o his novcls), Shivarama Karanh(accuscd
o huring hc scnimcns o hc
Vishwakarma communiy), K.S. Bhagawan
(accuscd o dcaming Hindu Acharya and
huringHinduscnimcnsandarrcscd), H.S.
Shivaprakash, P.V. Narayana , Banjagcrc

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3ayaprakash (all hrcc wcrc accuscd o
dcaming Vccrashaivasains), H.S. Nagavcni
(accuscd o huring scnimcns o hc
Vishwakarma communiy), Bhagawan and
Covinda Rao (or a public lccurc), among
ohcrs.
Onc wondcrs i ancicn and csablishcd
rcligions likc Hinduism, 3ainism,
Vccrashaivism, IslamandChrisianiyarcso
vulncrablc as o bc hur by a book or an
ariclc!
Turning the Clock Backwards
In his concx, hc rcmarks o 3usicc M.
Saldanha, in his Bombay High Cour judgmcn on
hc bail-applicaion o Nancy Adajania, arc worh
rccalling. Hc bcgan, saing ha hc cnirc cpisodc
was [d]isrcssing, misguidcdandmisdircccd, and
wcn on o commcn ha whilc charging a pcrson
undcr Sccion 158 A, cspccially a wricr or a
journalis, hc conccrncd oiccrs should carcully
cvaluac hc macr, and hcn concludcd: This is
vcry ncccssaryi consiuional guaranccs arc o bc
sacguardcdandconccps ha hold goodinhc dark
agcs arc no o bc allowcd o urn hc clock
backwards (dclivcrcd on April 28, 1008). Indian
auhoriics do no sccm o havc lcarn any lcsson
rom his judgmcn, dclivcrcd wo dccadcs ago, i
anyhing, hings havc gonc rom bad o worsc. Thc
ask bcorc all hc wricrs, journaliss, and ariss
oday is clcar and cu ou, i is o cxcr prcssurc,
hroughlcgal mcans, onhc IndianParliamcn cihcr
o rcpcal or amcnd hc cxising IPC sccions 158 A
and B, and 205-208, or, a lcas o dcinc hc ramc
o applicabiliy o hc phrascs public ordcr and
dcccncy and moraliy in Ariclc 10 (2) o hcIndian
Consiuion.
B MORETHANBABYSTEPSREQUIRED
Oncmorc hcalh-saus indicaor has rcccnly
bccn publishcd, andas cxpcccd, India brings uphc
rcar. Dcspic rcducing undcr-ivc moraliy rom2.5
millionin2001o1.4millionin2012, Indiasill holds
hcdubious disinciono having hchighcs numbcr
o dcahs inhc worldinhis vulncrablcagc group
22 pcr ccn. Furhcr, hc 2018 UNICFF rcpor on
inan moraliy highlighs our noorious rack
rccord. O hc 2.1 million dcahs in hc cnirc
souhcrn Asian rcgion, Indias sharc alonc is 1.4
milliondcahs. Bcing highlypopulous cannobc cicd
as a rcason, hc dcah rac, which rccrs o hc
numbcr o dcahs pcr onc housand livc birhs, is
much highcr in India han a cw Souh Asi an
counrics. In1000, BangladcshandNcpal haddcah
racs o 144 and 142 rcspccivcly, comparcd wih
106in India.
Bu hcsc wo counrics havc pcrormcd
dramaically by bringing down hc rac o dcahs o
41 and 42 rcspccivcly, and, as a rcsul, surpasscd
Indias (56) in2012. Fvcnas hcscwocounrics arc
quic closc o achicving hc 2015 Millcnnium
Dcvclopmcn Coal or undcr-5 moraliy (o lcss
han 88 dcahs pcr onc housand livc birhs), India
would bc ablc o rcach ha disan goal only in hc
mid-2020s. Unlikc India, hcsc wo counrics arc
rcaping hcbcncis o hcavyinvcsmcns hcy madc
in hcalh-carc syscms in hc las wo dccadcs. Onc
nccd no look ousidc or lcssons. By cmulaing hc
Tamil Nadu modcl, which has wcll cquippcd public
hcalh ccnrcs manncd by docors and wcll-raincd
sa prcscn round hc clock, India can bca down
hc undcr-ivc moraliy rac.
Two-hirds o nconaal dcahs occur injus 10
counrics, and India accouns or morc han a
quarcr o hosc. Thc wcll-bcing o hc mohcr and
hc ncwborn in hc irs 24 hours is vcry criical.
Ncarly hal o all ncwborn dcahs globally occur
during his imc. Wih ovcr hrcc lakh ncwborn
dcahs, India ranks numbcr onc incrms o dcahon
hc vcry irs day o birh. Onc o hc major rcasons
or nconaal dcahs is a lack o good dclivcry
praciccs rcsulinginprolongcdlabour. This, inurn,
rcsuls in birhasphyxia, hc singlc-mos imporan
causc o moraliy, cvcn in Tamil Nadu, 16 pcr ccn
o 18 pcr ccn o nconaal dcahs arc causcd by his.
Childhoodanacmiais anohcr criical arcaha nccds
immcdiacacnion. Anacmiaduringhc carly ycars
o lic lcads o rcpcacd rcspiraory inccion and
makcs hc childmorc pronc odiarrhoca. Fvcnwhilc
scps arc akcn o addrcss hcalh issucs, opcn
dcccaion and hc lack o clcan drinking wacr
boh o which havc a dircc link o hc hcalh o
childrcnhavc obc acklcdona war ooing.

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30000/-
3500/-
2500/-
3500/-
3500/-

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B AADHAARSTALLED
Thc SuprcmcCour issucdanincrimordcr on
Scpcmbcr 28, 2018, on a public incrcs liigaion
challcnging ccrain aspccs o hc UID Aadhaar
projcc. As rcporcd by hc mcdia, hc incrimordcr
brings ou wo main poins: (1) Aadhaar cnrolmcn
o immigrans living inIndia wihou propcr papcrs
should no bc donc, and (2) Ccnral and Sac
govcrnmcns mus no dcny csscnial scrviccs and
bcncis solcly onhc basis o non-cnrolmcn in hc
projcc.
The Introducer
Thc irs poin conccrns hc Aadhaar syscm
iscl. An Aadhaar applican nccds o providc proo
o idcniy (including agc) and addrcss using onc o
scvcral approvcd documcns, such as an clccoral
phoo idcniy card or passpor, bcorc his/hcr
biomcrics arc capurcd. Bu vcry poor pcoplc, or
cxamplc pavcmcn dwcllcrs, may havc no idcniy
documcn wih proo o agc, and ccrainly no
addrcss. Howcvcr, hc Aadhaar syscm cacrs o
such pcoplc wih hc Rcgisrar (Sac govcrnmcn)
noiying araincdinroduccr who, inccc, conacs
hc cnrolmcn ccnrc sa, vouching or hc pcrson
who sacs ha hc is Mr. X o so-and-so addrcss is
indccd Mr. X o ha addrcss.
Thus, hc biomcrics capurcd arc shown o
bclong o Mr. X wih hosc dcails. In pracicc, hc
inroduccr may know only a racion o hc pcoplc
wihou suchdocumcns whoapply or hc Aadhaar
card by sigh or acquainancc, and hc/shc could
unwiingly inroducc animmigran wihou propcr
documcnaion. Fvcn i hc inroduccr knows Mr. X
by sigh or acquainancc, hc has rcally no mcans o
knowwhchcr hc is a ciizcnor a lcgal rcsidcn. Thc
apcx cours ordcr ha immigrans wihou propcr
documcnaionmus no bc cnrollcdcccivclypus
inroduccrs ou-o-busincss, andhus hc poor who
havc no documcns canno bc cnrollcd. Clcarly, hc
Aadhaar projcc has no orcsccn hc risk o
immigrans wihou propcr documcnaion gcing
hcmsclvcs cnrollcd, wihacndan sccuriyrisks.
Benefits
Thc sccond poin conccrns bcncis, sincc hc
cour has said hc Ccnrc and Sac govcrnmcns
mus no insis onAadhar cards romciizcns bcorc
providinghcmcsscnial scrviccs. Thus, or cxamplc,
oil companics will nccd o supply IPC cylindcrs by
rcccivi ng hc subsidiscd cos a dclivcry or
cusomcrs who arcno Aadhaar-cnrollcd, andPublic
DisribuionSyscmraionshops will nccdoprovidc
raions o cnilcd pcrsons on hc basis o valid
raioncards.
Thc UIDAI may appcal agains hcapcxcours
ordcr cspccially sincc Rs.50,000 crorc has bccn
spcn. Mcanwhilc, hc incrim ordcr rcquircs hc
Ccnral and Sac govcrnmcns o providc csscnial
scrviccs and bcncis o hc public wihou insising
onAadhaar cnrolmcn.
B DONTBLACKBALL
THEPROPOSALTOCLEANUPCARBON
As i rclcascs is indings a hc cnd o hc
monh, hc Incrgovcrnmcnal Pancl on Climac
Changc (IPCC) will domorc hanhighligh hcman-
madc incrcasco global cmpcraurcs. Is rcpor will
also raisc hc hca on ncgoiaions conccrning hc
rolc playcd by scvcral incrnaional bodics in hc
rcduciono climac polluans.
Thc rclcasc o hc prcvious IPCC rcpor in
2007, or cxamplc, providcd addiional momcnum
o diicul ncgoiaions on a pocnial global
agrccmcn on hc rcducion o grccnhousc gas
cmissions. Thisycar, hcpublicaionois indings will
oncc morc coincidc wih an ongoing ncgoiaions
cyclcowards ancwincrnaional climacagrccmcn.
Role of other Gases
Bcyond hc srongcr han cvcr rccogniion o
hc rolc o humanaciviics inhc climac crisis, hc
rcpor will also highligh hc divcrsiy o polluans
involvcd in hc proccss. Sincc hc las IPCC rcpor,
scicniss havc incrcasingly highlighcd hc
imporancc o argcing acion no only a carbon
dioxidc (CO{-2], hc mos common grccnhousc gas
cmicd by humans), bu also a ohcr gascs
including black carbon, mchanc and
hydroluorocarbons (HFC). Thcscarc labcllcdshor-
livcd climac orccrs (SICF) duc o hcir shorcr
licspaninhc amosphcrc.
Whilc sabilising hcincrcasco cmpcraurcs
inhclong crmrcquircs srongmcasurcs orcducc

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CO{-2]cmissions, cuing SICF polluion could
providc grcacr immcdiac bcncis or hc climac
syscm. I wc can bclicvc mcdia covcragc bascd on
lcakcd IPCC dras, hc ncx IPCC rcpor will hus
srcnghcn argumcns or hcadopiono asrongcr
incrnaional rcsponsc o SICF polluion, as wcll as
raisc hc qucsion o hc choicc o hc mos
appropriac incrnaional avcnucs o acklc cach o
hcgascs involvcd.
Picking hc righ incrnaional orum is an
cmincnly poliical macr as hcsc orums apply
dicrcn lcgal principlcs. Currcnly, hc1002Climac
Convcnion and is 1007 Kyoo Proocol consiuc
hccorncrsoncs o incrnaional cors omiigac
climac changc. Undcr hc convcnion, hc principlc
o commonbu dicrcniac rcsponsibiliy rcquircs
ha dcvclopcd counrics should akc hc lcad in
combaing climac changc and providc inancial
suppor o suppor hc miigaion cors o
dcvcloping counrics. Whilchc convcniondocs no
dcinc which polluans should bc rcgulacd undcr
hcsc principlcs, hc argcs sc in hc Kyoo
Proocol or hc rcducion o hc cmissions o
dcvclopcdcounrics cncompass cmissions o CO{-2],
mchanc, HFCs as wcll as hrcc addiional gascs or
groups o gascs.
Black Carbon
In 2000, hc sac o Microncsia suggcscd
ormally ha hc U.N. Climac Convcnion should
dcvclop a spcciic work programmc o addrcss hc
issuc o black carbon. Conccrncd abou hc
conscqucnccs o such an approach or hc counry,
Indias Fnvironmcn Miniscr a ha imc, 3airam
Ramcsh, rcspondcd ha his govcrnmcn would
rcjcc bringing his polluan undcr hc ambi o hc
convcnion. Sincc dcvcloping counrics arc
rcsponsiblc or a largc proporion o black carbon
cmissions (ChinaandIndiabcing hclargcs cmicrs
o hosc gascs), addrcssingblack carbonhroughhc
Climac Convcnion wouldrcquirc imporan cor
rombohcounrics. Thcproposal byMicroncsia has
howcvcr no movcd orward sincc hc original
proposal.
Ovcr rcccn ycars, dcvclopcd counrics havc
addrcsscd hc SICFcmissions hroughscvcral ohcr
incrnaional proccsscs. ThcArcic Council has playcd
a kcy rolc in hc scicniic undcrsanding o hc
impac o SICFonhc climacsyscm. Furopcan and
Norh Amcrican sacs also discusscd capping hc
rclcasc o SICF hroughhc rcgional Convcnionon
Iong-Rangc Transboundary Air Polluion. In boh
cascs, howcvcr, hcscdiscussions rcsulcdonlyinhc
adopion o rcporing obligaions and cll shor o
adoping spcciic caps on cmissions. This lack o
appcic o dcvclopcd sacs or lcgally binding
argcs rcduccs hclikclihoodha Indiawill cvcr acc
rcncwcd prcssurc o acccp hc inclusion o SICF
undcr hcU.N. Climac Convcnion.
Ias ycar, a small group o dcvclopcd and
dcvcloping counrics lcd by hc U.S. and Canada
launchcdhcClimacandClcanAirCoaliion(CCAC).
This ncw iniiaivc promocs incrnaional
coopcraion o acklc SICFpolluion. Ovcr hc pas
18 monhs, hc CCACaraccd hc paricipaion o
70 counrics and non-sac acors. Conrary o hc
U.N. Climac Convcnion which is bascd on lcgally
binding provisions and commimcns, hc CCAC
rclics on a rcsuls oricncd approach supporcd by
shor-crmvolunary acions.
Ncihcr India nor hc ohcr BASIC counrics
(China, Souh Arica and Brazil) havc yc joincd hc
coaliion. Iookinga hcir prccrrcd approachinhc
U.N. climac ncgoiaions, hc approach adopcd so
ar by hc CCAC could acually bc a good i or hc
BASIC group. Thc our counrics havc rcpcacdly
cmphasiscd hcir willingncss o akc climac acion
onhc basis o hcir own incrcs rahcr han undcr
hc rccogniion o incrnaional lcgal obligaions.
Allows Freedom
India is hc counry mos hrcacncd by hc
advcrsc cccs o black carbon. Rcscarchcrs havc
highlighcdhowhcpolluan alcrs hcdynamics o
hc monsoons and accclcracs hc mcling o snow
and icc in hc Himalayas. Thc adopion o cos-
cccivc mcasurcs o rcducc black carbon polluion
inIndiawouldalsorcsul inconsidcrablc bcncis on
hcalh and crop producion in hc counry.
Considcring ha CCAC mcmbcrship docs no
prccludcanyparicular acion, India wouldrcainhc
rccdom o adop only hosc acions provcn o bc
cos-cccivc. Wihis ncwrccrcnccs oshor-livcd
climac polluans, hc upcoming rclcasco hc IPCC

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rcpor will likcly providc ncw argumcns o
proponcns o an incrnaional rcsponsc o SICF
polluion. India has always rcmaincd paricularly
awarc o hc implicaions o hc involvcmcn o
spcciic incrnaional orums in addrcssing various
climacpolluans. Inhccasco blackcarbon, joining
hc CCAC could acually bcnci hc counry rahcr
han hrcacn is incrcss whilc dcmonsraing
Indias commimcn oincrnaional climac acion.
B RBIFOCUSSTILLON
CURRENCYSTABILITY
Rcscrvc Bank o India govcrnor Raghuram
Rajans maidcn moncary policy announccmcn has
cvokcdconrary rcsponscs. Indias inancial markcs
and a sccion o hc busincss communiy havc
rcaccdadvcrsclyohis dccisionoincrcasc hc rcpo
rac inhis policysacmcn. This is undcrsandablc.
Dr. Rajan had bccn in avour o lowcring incrcs
racs during his bric sin a hc Financc Minisry.
Tha and hc crriic buzz ha accompanicd his
assumpiono oicchadlcdocxpccaions insomc
quarcrs ha a rac cu was likcly. Ohcrs in hc
busincss communiy and many in hc mcdia, who
had pilloricd Dr. Subbarao or his ani-inlaionary
sancc, havc madc somching o a . Thcy
havc bccn quick o porray Dr. Rajan as an inlaion
hawk.
Reading of the Policy
Boh Dr. Rajans dcracors and admircrs may
bc wrong in hcir rcading o hc moncary policy
sacmcn. I appcars morc plausiblc ha Dr. Rajans
policy sancc is aimcda shoring uphc rupcc ahcad
o a changc in hc U.S. Fcds policy abou hrcc
monhs romnow. Thc RBI may ind i prudcn no
o say so or car o adding o ncrvousncss in hc
currcncy markcs. I may choosc o couch is sancc
in ani-inlaionary crms. Bu currcncy sabiliy
sccms o wcigh morc hcavily on hc RBI han is
sacmcn would suggcs. Susaining growh also
appcars obc a considcraion.
Considcr hc changcs ccccd in hc policy
sacmcn. Banks can oday borrowromhc RBI in
wo ways. Onc is hc rcpo rouc bu only o hc
cxcn o 0. 5 pcr ccn o hcir liabiliics. Any
rcquircmcn in cxccss o wha can bc inanccd by
rcpos can bc mc hrough hc Marginal Sanding
Faciliy (up o 2 pcr ccn o liabiliics). In is policy
sacmcn, hc RBI cu hc MSF rac by 75 basis
poins and raiscd hc rcpo rac by 25 basis poins.
Thc govcrnor claimcd ha hc nc ccc would bc
o rcducc hc cos o bank inancing subsanially.
This is dcbaablc.
Analyss csimac ha hc MSF and hc rcpo
accoun or abou 55 pcr ccn and 45 pcr ccn
rcspccivcly o bank borrowing rom hc RBI.
Facoring in hc changcs in hc wo racs, ycs, hc
cos o bank borrowings rom hc RBI can bc
cxpcccdodcclinc. Thc cos o ccriicacs o dcposi
(CD), which arc o mauriy o onc ycar or lcss, has
also allcn. Howcvcr, a cu in hc MSF rac only
impacs shor-crm incrcs racs. Iong-crmracs
arc inlucnccd by hc rcpo rac. Wc should cxpcc
long-crmracs o risc ollowing hc RBI sacmcn
and his is alrcady rclcccd in a risc o abou 80
basis poins in10-ycar govcrnmcn sccuriics.
B ODISHAISTHEMOSTBACKWARD, BIHAR
COMESNEXT, GUJARATISLESSDEVELOPED,
SAYSRAGHURAMPANEL
A pancl hcadcd by Raghuram Rajan has
rccommcndcd a ncw indcx o backwardncss o
dccrminc whichSacs nccdspccial assisancc. Thc
ncw mchodology ranks Odisha as Indias mos
backward Sac, Bihar, which has bccn sccking
spccial saus, as hc sccond mos backward, and
Cujara as onc o hc lcss dcvclopcd Sacs. Coa is
hc mos dcvclopcd Sac.
In May his ycar, hc Union govcrnmcn
consiucd hc commicc hcadcd by Mr. Rajan,
now RBI Covcrnor, o suggcs ways o idcniy
indicaors o hc rclaivc backwardncss o hc Sacs
or cquiablc allocaion o Ccnral unds. Ccnral
allocaions arc govcrncd by hc Cadgil-Mukhcrjcc
ormula ha placcs hc grcacs wcigh on hc
Sacs populaion, ollowcdby ohcr acors likc pcr
capia incomc and licracy. Chic Miniscr Niish
Kumars dcmand or a spccial cacgory saus or
Bihar has urhcr pushcdhc govcrnmcn orcvicw
howhc Ccnrc allocacs unds.
Thc rcpor, whichhc Primc Miniscr andhc
FinanccMiniscr havc rcvicwcd, was madcpublic on
Thursday. Thc commicc has proposcd an indcx o

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backwardncss composcd o 10 cqually wcighcd
indicaors o monhly pcr capia consumpion
cxpcndiurc, cducaion, hcalh, houscholdamcniics,
povcry rac, cmalc licracy, pcrccnagc o hc
Schcdulcd Casc/Schcdulcd Tribc populaion,
urbanisaion rac, inancial inclusion and physical
conncciviy. Thc10Sacs ha scorc abovc 0.6(ou
o 1) on hc composic indcx havc bccn classiicd as
hclcas dcvclopcd, hc 11Sacs ha scorcdrom
0.4 o 0.6 arc lcss dcvclopcd and hc scvcn ha
scorcdlcss han0.4arc rclaivcly dcvclopcd.
Thc rcpor rccommcnds ha cach o hcsc 28
Sacs gc 0.8 pcr ccn o ovcrall Ccnral unds
allocacdand o hc rcmaining 01.6, hrcc-ourhs
bc madc allocaions bascd on nccd and onc-ourh
bascd on hc Sacs improvcmcns on is
pcrormancc, o bc rcvicwcd cvcry ivc ycars. Sincc
Sacs nowclassiicdas a spccial cacgory will ind
hcir nccds mc hrough hc ncw allocaions, hc
crmspccial cacgory will bc rcircd.
I hc rccommcndaions arc acccpcd, Bihar,
Madhya Pradcsh, Odisha, Rajashan and Uar
Pradcsh will gc a largcr sharc han hcir currcn
sharc o hc oal Ccnral assisancc o Sac plans
and Ccnrally sponsorcd schcmcs, whilc Kcrala,
Tamil NaduandMaharashra will loscsubsanially.
Dissent note
Onc o hc pancls ivc mcmbcrs, Pana-bascd
Shaibal Cupa o hc Asian Dcvclopmcn Rcscarch
Insiuc, has, inalongdisscn nocappcndcdohc
rcpor, disagrccdsubsaniallywihhcpancls choicc
o indicaors. Mr. Cupas mos signiican
disagrccmcn iswihhc dccisionousc monhly pcr
capial cxpcndiurc dcrivcd rom Naional Samplc
Survcy Organisaionrcpors as a mcasurco incomc,
rahcr hanpcr capia Sac domcsic produc, which
hcsaid subsaniallyalcrcdSacrankings.
Inis rcpor, hc pancl, howcvcr, dccndcdis
choicc o indicaors: Sincc wc arc incrcscd in
mcasuring hc Sac populaions wcll-bcing, a
majoriy o hccommicc agrccd ha consumpion
romhc houscholdsurvcy sccms morc appropriac
han incomc rom hc naional accouns. This is a
judgmcn call, and wc also prcscn hc indcx
calculacd using pcr capia nc Sac domcsic
produc. Thc corrclaionbcwccn indiccs is 0.007.
B PANELRECOMMENDSSWEEPING
CHANGESINCLINICALTRIALSPROCESS
An oicial cxpcr commicc has
rccommcndcd major changcs in hc guidclincs or
approval o ncwdrugs, clinical rials and banning o
mcdicincs.
I suggcscd scing up o a council o ovcrscc
hcaccrcdiaionoinsiuions, clinical invcsigaors
and insiuc chics commiccs or clinical rials in
hc counry.
Thc six-mcmbcr Pro. Ranji Roy Chaudhury
Fxpcr Commicc, sc up inFcbruary his ycar, said
clinical rials can only bc carricd ou a accrcdicd
ccnrcs. Boh hc principal invcsigaor o hc rial,
and hc chics commicc o hc insiuc should bc
accrcdicd. Only hosc rials conduccd a such
ccnrcs should bc acccpcd by hc Drugs Conrollcr
Ccncral o India(DCCI), i said.
Central Council Sought
Sccking o sc up a Ccnral Accrcdiaion
Council, hc pancl said hc sclcciono asscssors or
accrcdiaion and o cxpcrs o rcvicw ncw drug
applicaions and ohcr purposcs should bc madc by
a randomproccdurc roma Roscr o Fxpcrs.
Focussing on hc imporancc o inormcd
conscn romcach paricipan or clinical rials, hc
pancl said any dcparurc or violaion rom hc
approvcdproccss shouldrcsul in blacklising o hc
Principal Invcsigaor or a lcas upo5ycars.
In circumsanccs whcrc spccial groups o
pcoplcwhohavc diminishcdcapaciy oprocc hcir
incrcss arcinvolvcd, hc guardiancangivcconscn
and his should bc wincsscd by an indcpcndcn
pcrson who also has o sign hc documcn.
Audiovisual rccording o hc inormcd conscn
proccss should bc undcrakcn and hc
documcnaionprcscrvcd, adhcringohc principlcs
o conidcnialiy.
Apprcciaing hc rccommcndaions, S.
Srinivasano hc All India DrugAcionNcwork and
Iow Cos Sandard Thcrapcuics (IOCOST),
howcvcr, saidno many insiuions wouldbc ablco
mcc hc cricria. Hc also old ha hc
rcpor was silcn onwhchcr clinical rials shouldbc
covcrcdundcr hc Righ oInormaion Ac.

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Furhcr, i calls or rcplacing hc cxising 12
drug advisory commiccs by a singlc broad
cxpcrisc-bascd Tcchnical Rcvicw Commicc o
cnsurc spccdy clcarancc o applicaions wihou
compromising on qualiy o daa and rulcs and
rcgulaions. On compcnsaion or advcrsc cccs
(AF) or scrious advcrsccccs (SAF) during rial, hc
commicc pus hc onus o rcsponsibiliy on hc
sponsor invcsigaor orprovidingmcdical rcamcn
and carc o hc paicn a his/hcir cos ill hc
rcsoluion o hc AF/SAF. This is o bc givcn
irrcspccivc o whchcr hc paicn is in hc conrol
group, placcbo group, sandard drug rcamcn
groupor hc cs drug adminiscrcdgroup. Howcvcr,
i docs no avour payingo compcnsaionor injury
or dcah duc o oally provcn unrclacd causcs. In
all ohcr cascs o dcah or injury/disabili y,
compcnsaionshould.
B VOYAGER1
On Augus 25, 2012 and around 18.78 billion
km rom Farh, hc Voyagcr 1 spacc probc bccamc
hc irs human-madc objcc o brcach hc
incrscllar mcdium (ISM), hc macr ha cxiss
bcwccnsars inhc univcrsc. Thcprimary rcasoni
has akcn a ycar or asrophysiciss o dccm his
cvcn as having happcncd is ha hc signs o
brcaching hc ISM wcrc no all dccccd
simulancously nor havc hcy bccnundcrsoodully.
In ac, as i playing on hcir conusion, Voyagcr 1
bcamcd homc a scrics o signals in Ocobcr-
Novcmbcr, 2012, ha havc bccn sudicd or hcir
mcaning sincc hcn. In hrcc papcrs publishcd
inin 3unc his ycar, scicniss dcduccd ha
hc probc hadsumblcdino a rcgionlyingonhc
cuspo hc ISMasronomcrs didn knowcxiscd.
Finally, and wih hc hclp o a naural disurbancc
promulgacd by our Sun, asronomcrs rom NASA
and scvcral univcrsiics, lcd by hc Univcrsiy o
Iowa, dccccdsignals rom Voyagcr 1in April, 2018,
ha implicd hc incidcncc o cosmic rays and hc
dcnsiy o ionizcd gas around hc probc had
incrcascd, and hc dirccion o hc magncic icld in
hc spacc aroundhc probc had changcd: all signs o
Voyagcr 1bccoming humankinds irs cycs andcars
in hc world bcwccn sars.
Whcn hc winVoyagcr probcs wcrc launchcd
in 1077, hc spacc agc was only wo dccadcs old.
Thosc who buil and now opcrac hcm, rom hc
NASA 3c Propulsion Iaboraory, Pasadcna,
Caliornia, had hc audaciy o cquip hc probcs o
uncion or almos our dccadcs (Voyagcr 2 is
currcnly 15.8billionkmromFarh). Thc durabiliy
o hc probcs and hc carcul managcmcn o
rcsourccs havc awardcd us wih hc chancc o
dirccly sudy hc oucrmos rcachcs o hc Solar
Syscm, wihin which grca asronomical
obscrvaions arc bcing cxpcccd. This aiudc o
carcul managcmcn has also paid o wih ohcr
NASAmissions, suchas hcWISFascroid-huncr and
hc Spizcr spacc clcscopc bcorc, and should oncc
again wih hc Kcplcr spacc clcscopc. And whilc
nobody is surc o wha o cxpcc rom Voyagcr 1,
ha hcprobcis nowbahcdinpariclcs arisingrom
sars ohcr hanjus hc Sunis opporuniy cnough.
Is pariclcs and iclds scicncc cxpcrimcn will
uncion ill 2020, unil whcn hc small nuclcar
bacry on-board will bc ablc o powcr hcm. Acr
ha, hc Coldcn Rccord, a gold-placd disc
conaining phoos o and sounds romFarh, addcd
ohcpayloadjus in cascohcr lic-orms cncouncr
hc probc, will prcscrvc Voyagcr 1s ambassadorship.
This sccondSpunikmomcn inhchisoryo human
cxploraionhas righlyrckindlcdhc awchumans cl
whcnhcy irs lookcdinohc nigh sky.
B ANOFFICIALVOTEOFNOCONFIDENCE
Thc Covcrnmcn o Indias Dcparmcn o
Pcrsonncl and Training (DoPT) has dccidcd o
rcimbursc approvcd cxpcndiurc on rcamcn
abroad, or a dcincdrangc o mcdical condiions, or
oiccrs ohcIndianAdminisraivcScrvicc(IAS) and
IndianPoliccScrvicc(IPS). Indoing so, i is cxcnding
o hcm a bcnci availablc o Mcmbcrs o
Parliamcn andoiccrs o hc IndianForcignScrvicc
(IFS) whcnposcdabroad. Inaddiion, hcravcl and
rcamcn coss or hc oiccr andanacndan will
bc bornc by hc govcrnmcn. Thc ordcr concrs
bcncis ovcr and abovc hc cnilcmcns undcr hc
Ccnral CovcrnmcnHcalhSchcmc (CCHS).
A a imc whcn hc govcrnmcn is conccrncd
abou a high and rising iscal dcici, and hc rupcc

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has sccply dcprcciacd, his addiional bcnci o
govcrnmcn oicials appcars doubly bizarrc. Thc
iscal consrain argumcn has bccn rcpcacdly
madc by oicials who havc bccn criical o idcas
pcrainingounivcrsal hcalh-carcprovisioning.
Wrong Signals
Thc Plandiscussions onunivcrsalising hcalh
carc havc rcquircd a subsanial incrcasc in oulays
or hcalh or srcnghcning public hcalh scrviccs.
Howcvcr, hc consan rcrain o hc Planning
Commission and hc govcrnmcn has bccn ha hc
rcquircd amoun could no bc allocacd duc o
budgcary consrains. As hcrc havc bccn
compcing prioriics, a balancc has had o bc
mainaincd. Miniscrs and burcaucras havc madc
his cascorccully andsilcnccdacadcmic andacivis
communiics whohavcdcmandcdincrcascdunding.
I is ironic ha hc samc consiucncy is no worricd
abou using hc axpaycrs moncy o givc iscl
addiional privilcgcs.
Apar rom hc iscal ramiicaions o his
burcaucraic gcncrosiy, his dccision, as indccd hc
cxising privilcgc cnjoycd by MPs, raiscs scvcral
ohcr qucsions abou hc poliical signals such a
dccision would scnd abou hc policy on public
hcalhcarcinIndia.
Fxising rulcs pcrmi civil scrvans o sccurc
rcimburscmcn or mcdical rcamcn abroad or a
a privac hospial in India bascd on wha i would
cos o sccurc hc samc rcamcn in a privac ward
a hcAll India Insiuc o Mcdical Scicnccs (AIIMS),
NcwDclhi. Thc rcviscd rulcs cnilc all IAS, IPS and
IFS oicialsoscck hcsamclcvcl o rcimburscmcn
or rcamcn abroadha IFS oiccrs arc cnilcdo
whcn on a orcign posing. No jus ha. Thcrc will
bc rcimburscmcn o hc ravcl arc.
B AGNI-VTEST-FIREDSUCCESSFULLYAGAIN
Ina milcsonc indccncc capabiliy, hc Incr-
Conincnal Ballisic Missilc (ICBM) Agni-V was
succcssully cs-ircd or is ull rangc o 5,000 km
onSunday. This ishcsccondsucccssul launcho hc
nuclcar-wcapons capablc missilc in 17 monhs. On
April 10las ycar, India sakcdclaimoa placc inhc
clic groupo naions ha posscsscs hc cchnology
odcvclopICBMs, launching Agni-Vorhc irs imc
wih a hugc succcss. As scicniss o hc Dccncc
Rcscarch and Dcvclopmcn Organisaion (DRDO)
gavc hc auo-launch command, ovcrcoming las-
minuc glichcs ha pu hc coundownonhold, hc
17.5-mcrc all missilc licd o rom a rail mobilc
launchcr a 8.50a.m.
Trackinga ncar parabolic rajccory, hcmissilc
rcachcd an aliudc o morc han 400 km and
dcsccndcd swily as is hrcc sagcs go ignicd on
imc and wcrc jcisoncd a aliudcs o 40 km, 140
km and 260 km. Thc nosc-conc, madc up o
composic macrials and carryi ng a dummy
warhcad, rc-cncrcd hc amosphcrc, wihsanding
cmpcraurcs o morc han 8,000 dcgrccs Cclsius,
and hurlcd a 6 km a sccond, splashing down ncar
hc argc poin in hc Indian Occan in jus 20
minucs.
Radars alonghc Fas Coas, includinghosca
Sriharikoa and clcmcry saions, and clccro-
opical rackingsyscms moniorcdhc rajccory o
hc syscm. Thrcc ships, onc in mid-rangc and wo
ncar hc argc poin, rackcdhcmissilc.
Soonacr hc launch, Scicniic Adviscr ohc
Dccncc Miniscr and DRDO Dirccor-Ccncral
Avinash Chandcr said hc succcss o hc mission
csablishcdhcICBMcapabiliy o hccounry. Now,
hc missilc is rcady or producion. Thc ncx scp
wouldbco cndowi wihcaniscr-launchcapabiliy,
and hc irs rial would bc carricd ou in a cw
monhs.
B YESTOTHENO-VOTEOPTION
By ordcring ha voing machincs in uurc
should havc an addiional provision or vocrs o
rccorda nonc-o-hc-abovc (NOTA) opionorcjcc
all candidacs in hc ray, hc Suprcmc Cour has
ushcrcd in a kcy clccoral rcorm ha has ound
avour in hc pas wih hc Flccion Commission o
India and cvcn hc Iaw Commission. Thc idca o
according o a ncgaivc voc hc samc sanciy and
sccrccy as a voc in avour o a paricular candidac
is indccd laudablc in a parliamcnary dcmocracy.
Advocacs o clccoral rcorms havc cncouragcd
vocrs o makc grcacr usc o Rulc 40-O, hc
provisionbywhichonc canrccorda no-voc opion
by signing a orminhcprcscncco clccionoicials,
in hc hopc ha a largc numbcr o such ncgaivc

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vocs would inducc poliical parics o icld
candidacs known or hcir incgriy. Thc vcrdic
holds ha hc rulc violacs clccion law and hc
vocrs rccdomo cxprcssionalikc bydcnyingvocrs
who cxcrcisc ha choicc hc rcquircd sccrccy. Thc
Cour bclicvcs ha hc cxra provisioninhc voing
machincs would promoc rcc and air clccions,
cnsurc grcacr vocr paricipaionandrcducc bogus
voing.
Inrcccn imcs, hcSuprcmc Cour has sruck
down a provision o prcvcn immcdiac
disqualiicaion o conviccd lcgislaors and, morc
conrovcrsially, barrcd hosc in cusody rom
concsingclccions. ThcNOTArulingillsasigniican
lacuna in clccoral law, andis a wclcomc addiion o
hc scrics o dccisions i has rcndcrcd oprocc hc
incgriy o our clccions. A doub ariscs as o wha
will happcni a vcry largc pcrccnagc o vocrs goin
or hc no-voc opion. Fvcn a mcagrc urnou is
considcrcdgoodcnoughodcclarc avalidrcsul now,
bu a hcavy quanum o ncgaivc vocs may acc
hc lcgiimacy o hc clccion proccss. Pcrhaps, hc
FC could ix a limi bcyond which hc pcrccnagc o
NOTAvocs would cnail rc-polling. All his raiscs a
qucsion: why has Parliamcn lc clccoral rcorms
ohccours inscado dclibcraingovcr andpassing
appropriac laws` Thanks o an asscrivc FC, hc
pocnial or irrcgulariics by hc poliical class has
bccncccivclykcp undcr chcck, bu his inhcrcnly
advcrsarial rclaionship may havc prcvcncd hc
ushcring ino swccpingrcorms hroughlcgislaion.
Thcrc is no agrccmcn on somc rcorms moocd by
hc Flccion Commission, such as making hc
raming ochargcs inscrious criminal cascs hc basis
or disqualiicaion inscad o convicion. Ranging
romhc nccd ochcck moncy powcr and paidncws
o hc nccd or ransparcncy in hc unding o
poliical parics, hcrcarc a hos o issucs ha ough
o bc addrcsscd hrough comprchcnsivc lcgislaion
rahcr hanad hoc adjudicaion.
B BALANCINGTHEJUVENILEACT
On Augus 81, 2018, hc 3uvcnilc 3usicc
Board (33B) ordcrcd ha hc boy who rapcd
Nirbhaya, brualiscdhcr wihanironrod, pullcdou
hcr incsincs andhcnclcancduphcbus andmadc
ca wouldgovirually rcc by scncncinghimoonly
28 monhs in a rcmand homc as cigh monhs o
hc oal 86 monhs scncncc had alrcady bccn
scrvcd. This ordcr is subjcc o rcvicw by hc 33B
bascdonhcbchaviour o hc juvcnilc andhc policc
arc rcquircd o cxpungc his crimc rom his rccord
in ordcr o cnsurc complcc rchabiliaion. Dcspic
hc unprcccdcncd srcc procss ollowing hc
Nirbhaya rapc, hcrc has bccn lilc subsanivc
dcbac on hc adcquacy o hc 3uvcnilc 3usicc Ac
o dcal wihsuchhcinous crimcs.
Underlying Principle
Thc 33 Ac was passcd in 2000 wih hc
purposc o incorporaing ino domcsic law Indias
obligaions undcr incrnaional lawas asignaory o
hc U.N. Convcnion on hc Righs o hc Child o
1080, hc U.N. Sandard Minimum Rulcs or
Adminisraiono 3uvcnilc3usicc(1085) (knownas
hc Bcijing Rulcs) and hc U.N. Rulcs or hc
Proccion o 3uvcnilcs Dcprivcd o hcir Iibcry
(1000). Undcrlying hcsc incrnaional cxs is hc
lcgal philosophy ha juvcnilcs lack hc physical and
mcnal mauriy o akc rcsponsibiliy or hcir
crimcs, and bccausc hcir characcr is no ully
dcvclopcd, hcy sill havc hc possibiliy o bcing
rchabiliacd. This basic principlc undcrlics hc
juvcnilc jusiccsyscms inmanycounrics, including
hc UnicdSacs andhc U.K.
Thc 33A crcacs a juvcnilc jusicc syscm in
which pcrsons up o hc agc o 18 who commi an
ocncc punishablc undcr any lawarc no subjcc o
imprisonmcn inhc adul jusiccsyscmbu inscad
will bc subjcc o advicc/admoniion, counsclling,
communiy scrvicc, paymcn o a inc or, a hc
mos, bc scn o a rcmand homc or hrcc ycars.
Howcvcr, hc incrcs in proccion o
juvcnilcs has o bc balanccd wih hc incrcs o
proccing paricularly vulncrablc mcmbcrs o
socicy rom violcn crimcs commicd by pcrsons
undcr 18 ycars o agc and amcnding hc law whcn
socical condiions radically changc ovcr imc. As pcr
hc rcpors o hc Naional Crimc Rccords Burcau
(NCRB) cnilcdCrimc inIndia 2011 andCrimc in
India 2012, hc pcrccnagc o crimcs commicdby
juvcnilcs as comparcd o oal crimcs has no
signiicanly incrcascdrom2001-2012. Accordingo
hc NCRB saisics, India is no in hc hrocs o a

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gcncral crimcwavc by juvcnilcs. Howcvcr, hc NCRB
saisics rclaingoviolcn crimcs byjuvcnilcs agains
womcn arc vcry roubling. Crimc in India 2011
suggcss hcnumbcr o rapcs commicdbyjuvcnilcs
has morc han doublcd ovcr hc pas dccadc rom
800 rapcs in 2001 o 858 rapcs in 2010. Crimc in
India 2012 rccords ha hc oal numbcr o rapcs
commicd by juvcnilcs morc han doublcd rom
485 in 2002 o 1140 in 2011.
As hc daa suggcss, bcwccn2011 and2012
alonc, hcrc was a massivc incrcasc in insanccs o
rapc by juvcnilcs by ncarly 800, which is almos as
much as hc incrcasc in such cascs ovcr hc cnirc
prcvious dccadc. This incrcasc alonc makcs
amcndmcn o hc 33Aimpcraivc.
Youth Court
FvcnhcU.N. ConvcnionandhcBcijingRulcs
do no prohibi subjccing childrcn/juvcnilcs o hc
rcgular criminal jusicc syscm undcr ccrain
circumsanccs. Ariclc 40 o hc U.N. Convcnion
providcs ha achild whohas bccnaccuscdo having
violacd hc pcnal law shall havc hc ollowing
guaranccs: o bc prcsumcd innoccn unil provcn
guily according o law, o bc inormcd promply o
hc chargcs agains him and o havc lcgal or ohcr
appropriac assisancc in hc prcparaion o his
dccncc, o havc hc macr dccrmincd wihou
dclay by a compccn and imparial auhoriy or
judicial body, no o bc compcllcd o concss guily,
and o cxaminc wincsscs. Morcovcr, hc sac can
csablishaminimumagc bclowwhichchildrcn shall
bc prcsumcd no ohavc hc capaciy oinringc hc
pcnal law.
Thcrcorc, in accordancc wih hc U.N.
Convcnion, hc33Ac couldhavccsablishcdanagc
limi, such as 14 or 16, bclow which a pcrson could
no bc dccmcd o havc hc capaciy o commi an
ocncc. In shor, hc U.N. Convcnion docs no
prohibi prosccuing a child undcr 18 who has
commicdanocncc undcr hc rcgular pcnal laws.
Beijing Rules
Rulc 17 o hc Bcijing Rulcs, in urn, providcs
ha hc rcacion shall bc in proporion o hc
circumsanccs and hc graviy o hc ocncc as wcll
as hc circumsanccsandnccds o hcjuvcnilcas wcll
as hcnccds o socicy. Furhcrmorc, pcrsonal libcry
may bc dcprivcd i hc juvcnilc is adjudicacd guily
o ascrious ocncc involvingviolcnccagains anohcr
pcrson or pcrsiscncc in commiing ohcr scrious
ocnccs. Unlikc hc U.N. Convcnion, hc Bcijing
Rulcs do no ix 18 as hc agc o a juvcnilc. Inscad,
hc Bcijing Rulcs providc or rulcs applicablc o
pcrsons bcwccn hc agc o 7 and 18. Thcrcorc,
Indias incrnaional lcgal obligaions dono prohibi
i romamcnding hc 33 Ac oprovidc ha pcrsons
bcwccn hc agc o 16-18 who arc accuscd o rapc,
kidnapping andabduciono womcnandgirls will bc
cxcmpcd romhc jurisdicion o hc 33Bandricd
inhc adul criminal jusiccsyscm.
Unorunacly, hc currcn syscm scrvcs
ncihcr hc purposco rchabiliaionnor dccrrcncc
agains uurc crimc. As rcporcd by ,
hcrc arc 815rcmandhomcs inIndia wihacapaciy
o 85,000. Howcvcr, hcrc arc 1.7 million juvcnilc
accuscd in India. Rcmand homcs in India arc no
conducivc o hc rcorm and rchabiliaion o
juvcnilcs as cnvisioncdbyhcprinciplcscnshrincdin
incrnaional law. Whilcrchabiliaionis ccrainly an
imporan lcgal and socical objccivc, his incrcs
surcly has o bc balanccd wih crcaing a lcgal
dccrrcn o procc womcn and girls rom hc
incrcasingincidcnccorapcsbyjuvcnilcs. Paricularly
invicwo hc signiican incrcascinrapcs commicd
by juvcnilcs sincchc33 Ac was passcd, India should
considcr amcndmcn o hc Ac o ranscr ccrain
violcn crimcs such as murdcr and rapc commicd
by juvcnilcs abovc a paricular agc o hc adul
criminal syscm.
B NEWMANUFACTURINGPOLICY
I is impcraivc ha hrcc scs o acions arc
akcn simulancously o prcvcn a socio-poliical
crisis. Onc is hc simulaion o ovcrall cconomic
growh which hc ncw Covcrnor o hc Rcscrvc
Bank, hc Financc Miniscr, andhc Primc Miniscr
arc ocusscdon. Thc sccondis hc soring ou o hc
muliplc policy and implcmcnaion problcms
bcscing Indias powcr andranspor inrasrucurc
ha arc now rccciving high lcvcl acnion in hc
PMO and hc Cabinc. Thc hird is hc
implcmcnaion o plans o convcr hc Ncw

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Manuacuring Policy orcsuls. Thc implcmcnaion
planoconvcr Indias ManuacuringPolicyorcsuls
has bccn drawn up by 26 working groups: 16
working onspcciic indusrics plans, and10working
oncross-cuing issucs ha acc all indusrics, such
as hc busincss rcgulaory cnvironmcn andhuman
rcsourcc and labour issucs. Sccrcd by a syscmaic
proccss, hcplans o hcscworkinggroups convcrgcd
on ivc major sracgic hruss o grow Indian
manuacuring.
1. Improving hc busincss rcgulaory
ramcwork
2. Humanassc dcvclopmcn
8. Improvingcchnology andvalucaddiionin
manuacuring
4. Dcvcloping cccivccluscrs or growho
SMFs (small andmcdiumcncrpriscs)
5. Naional Invcsmcn and Manuacuring
Zoncs (NIMZs)
Fccivc sracgics or boosing hc
manuacuring sccor andcmploymcn growhmus
saisyhrccimporan cricria:
i. Immcdiac impac on growh o
cmploymcn: cccivcncss incrcaing jobs
wihou prolongcd gcsaion pcriods is an
imporan cricrion in dccrmining which
sracgicsshouldbcgivcnhcmos acnion
now.
ii. Counrywidc applicabiliy: This will cnsurc
livclihood opporuniics arc providcd o
pcoplcall across hccounry, nojusinsclcc
indusrial pockcs.
iii. Crowh o hc MSMF (micro small and
mcdiumcncrpriscs) sccor: This sccor has
cmcrgcd as a vial sccor o hc Indian
cconomy. I no only plays a crucial rolc in
providing largc cmploymcn opporuniics
a acomparaivcly lowcr capial cos, i also
conribucs subsaniallyomanuacuring
oupu. I is csimacdhahcMSMFsccor
conribucs abou 45 pcr ccn o
manuacuring oupu and 40 pcr ccn o
oal cxpors o hc counry.
Thc NIMZ sracgy in hc Naional
ManuacuringPolicy hascapurcdhcimaginaiono
hc counry. This is abig, audacioussracgy and will
no doub havc a subsanial impac on Indias
manuacuringwhcnhcsczoncs arc upandrunning.
Thcy rcquirc acquisiion o largc picccs o land and
hc building o modcrn inrasrucurc. Thc largc
urban-indusrial csacs along hc Dclhi-Mumbai
Indusrial Corridor (DMIC), approvcd in 2007, arc
orc-runncrs o hcNIMZs. Thcirs DMICzoncs arc
cxpcccd o bc rcady in 2010. Thc irs NIMZs arc
likcly obc rcady cvcnlacr.
Accelerate Action
Sincc wc mus simulac manuacuring
growh much ascr and across hc counry oo, wc
mus urn o hc ohcr our sracgics liscd abovc.
No only can hcsc bc implcmcncd immcdiacly,
hcy rcquirc hardly any moncy o implcmcn which
is a grca advanagc whcn hc Financc Miniscr is
consraincd o squcczc plan unds o rcducc hc
iscal dcici. Acion on hcsc our sracgics has
bcgun, bu i mus bc accclcracd. To pu morc orcc
bchind hcsc sracgics, hc ollowing acions arc
rcquircd.
1. Communi cac hc csscnials o hc
Manuacuring Plan widcly o poliicians,
policymakcrs, hc public, and o indusry
associaions. (Sadly, cvcn many indusry
lcadcrs hink hc Naional Manuacuring
Policy is onlyabou NIMZs!)
2. Focus acioninhc Sacs. Fighypcr ccn o
hc acion or improving hc busincss
rcgulaory cnvironmcn, human assc
managcmcn praciccs, and qualiy o
cluscrs is in hc Sacs. Sacs mus bc
alcrcdowha hcy cando, hc bcncis o
whichwill bcmorc invcsmcn inhc Sacs
and morc jobs.
8. A hcCcnrc, rcsolvcincr-miniscrial issucs
as oaciliacinduciono cchnology and
incrcasc valuc addiion in scvcral sccors,
including clccronics, dccncc and capial
goods.
B SIGNIFICANTPROGRESSINBRINGING
DOWNUNDER-5MORTALITY
Thc counry has madc a scady progrcss in
rcducinghcmoraliy rac o childrcnbclow5ycars.
I dcclincdrom2.5millionin2001 o1.5millionin

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2012 a all o 8.7 pcr ccn annually bu cmalc
childmoraliy coninucdo cxcccd malc moraliy.
Ancwrcpor has shownha only onc-hirdo
hc disrics will achicvc hc Millcnnium
Dcvclopmcn Coal (MDC) o bringing down undcr-
5 moraliy o 88 dcahs pcr 1,000 livc birhs by
2015. Kcralais hc only Sacwhcrcall disrics havc
achicvcdhcgoals or nconacs andchildrcnagcd1
50monhs
says an
analysis o daa rom 507 disrics bcwccn 2001
and 2012 suggcss ha 222 or 87 pcr ccn disrics
arc on rack o achicvc hc MDCo rcducing undcr-
5 child moraliy o 88 dcahs pcr 1,000 livc birhs
by 2015, bu an cqual numbcr will achicvc i only
acr 2020. Thcsc 222 lagging disrics arc homc o
41 pcr ccn o Indias livc birhs and 56 pcr ccn o
all dcahs inchildrcnyoungcr han5 ycars.
Unil 2012, cmalc moraliy a agcs 150
monhs cxcccdcd malc moraliy by morc han 25
pcr ccn in 808 disrics and by morc han 50 pcr
ccn in160disrics across hccounry. Fxccsscmalc
moraliyissccninncarly all Sacs, includingKcrala
andTamil Nadu, whichohcrwischavcrclaivcly low
undcr-5 moraliy.
Naionally, hc808disrics arc homc omorc
han58pcr ccn o cmalclivcbirhs and68pcr ccn
o cmalcdcahs a 150monhs, oalling abou 74
000 cxccss dcahs in girls.
As many as 251 disrics lag bchind hc
rclcvan goal or nconaal moraliy (dcah wihin a
monh) as agains han or 150 monh moraliy.
Only 81 (14 pcr ccn) disrics accoun or 87 pcr
ccn o dcahs in childrcn youngcr han 5 ycars
naionally, according o a papcr Nconaal, 1-50
monh, and U-5 moraliy in 507 Indian disrics,
2001-2012: csimacs rom naional dcmographic
and moraliy survcys auhorcd by Usha Ram,
Prabha 3haand ohcrs.
A hc currcn racs o progrcss, MDC- 4 on
rcducion o nconaal moraliy will bc mc by India
around 2020 _ rich Sacs by 2015 and 2028 by hc
poorcr oncs, hc papcr says.Dcspic his progrcss,
India sill has hclargcsnumbcro dcahs inchildrcn
youngcr han5ycars o any counry inhc world. Is
largc populaionandis cnormous variaioninsocial
circumsanccs, acccss o hcalh scrviccs, and ohcr
corrclacs o undcr-5 moraliy mcan ha naional
saisics mask largc local variaion in scx-spcciic
undcr-5moraliyandhowhis changcs ovcr imc.
In 2012, ninc poorcr Sacs conaincd ncarly
hal o all pcoplc in India and jus ovcr hal o all
birhs, bu 71 pcr ccn o hc 15 million dcahs in
childrcn youngcr han 5 ycars. Comparcd wih hc
richcr Sacs, hc poorcr oncs havc noably highcr
moraliy pcr 1000 livc birhs. Cirls had highcr
moraliy a agcs 150 monhs han did boys,
mcaningha naionally, or cvcry100dcahs o boys
a hcscagcs, 181 girls dicd.
As many as 104 o hc 222 disrics lagging
bchind in mccing hc MDC by morc han 5 ycars
arc in hc poorcr Sacs. O hc naional oals, 126
million or 41 pcr ccn livc birhs ook placc in hcsc
222 disrics in 2012. By conras, 208 or 01 pcr
ccn o hc 222 disrics on rack o rcach MDC arc
inhcrichcr Sacs.
B NOPIECEMEALCLIMATEDEAL, INDIA
TELLSUNITEDNATIONS
India has opposcd proposals o sign a
picccmcal global climacrcay wih grccnhousc gas
rcducion argcs bcing dccidcd irs in 2015 and
dccisions on cchnology and inancc adapaion
bcing scgrcgacdandposponcd or lacr ycars.
Thc global communiy is o sign a ncw
compac onclimac changc undcr hcUnicdNaions
Framcwork Convcnion on Climac Changc
(UNFCCC) by 2015. Thc ncgoiaions or his dcal
havc bccn on sincc 2011 and arc bcginning o hca
up wih hc ncx big mccing rccrrcd o as hc
Concrcncc o Parics (COP), slacd or his
Novcmbcr inWarsaw, Poland.
Pcrcciving ha hc dcvclopcd counrics havc
hrough hc ycar bccn pushing a a picccmcal
approach o hc global dcal, India has pu in a
submission o hc UNFCCC, advocaing ha all
clcmcns o hc dcal miigaion, adapaion,
cchnologyandinancc shouldbcaddrcsscda hc
samc imc as par o a balanccdpackagc.
Any acion by hc dcvcloping counrics o
rcducc cmissions is rcquircdo bc cnablcd by unds
andcchnologyromhc dcvclopcdworldundcr hc
UNFCCC. This linkagc bcwccn hc provision o
cnabling inancc and cchnology has bccn dilucd

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ovcr hcpas cwycars hroughsucccssivc dccisions
a hc annual COPs. Bu, hc rcccn push rom hc
dcvclopcd world o posponc inal dccisions on all
ohcr clcmcns o hc 2015 dcal, cxccp or
miigaion, has bccn rcad in hc Indian camp as a
grand ploy o complccly dc-link hc acions o hc
dcvcloping counrics rom hc suppor hcy should
righully bc gcing undcr hc UNFCC o achicvc
hcscgoals.
In hc ncgoiaions hroughou his ycar, wc
havc warncd ha hcsc clcmcns arc par o a
balanccd packagc and progrcss canno bc madc on
jus onc a hc cos o all ohcrs bu wc havc sccn
ha hc dcvclopcd counrics arc only incrcscd in
discussing miigaionill 2015, saidanIndianclimac
ncgoiaor whowishcdorcmainanonymous.
Hc cxplaincd ha such scgrcgaion would
brcak hc linkagc bcwccn hc provision o inancc
and cchnology on onc hand, and hc miigaion
acions on hc ohcr. Thc Indian submission o hc
UNFCCC rcads, Thc work o Ad- Hoc Working
Croup on hc Durban Plaorm is a comprchcnsivc
K.UJJWAL
by
250 Probales a book on G.S. Available
E-mail : info@ujjwalias.in Website : www.ujjwalias.in
& Team
proccss, covcring miigaion, adapaion, inancc,
cchnology andcapaciybuildingandransparcncy. I
mus addrcss hcissucs rclacdohcscpillars o hc
Convcnion in a holisic, balanccd and coordinacd
manncr. ThcAd-Hoc Working Croup is oncrack o
ncgoiaions undcr hc UNFCCC. I was launchcdin
2011. This rack iscl has wo disinc srcams o
alks. Onc o hc wo is mcan o inalisc hc ncw
global dcal mcan o bc signcd by 2015 and
opcraionaliscd by 2020. Thc ohcr srcam o alks
is also mcan o producc dccisions on wha acions
can bc akcn bcwccn now and 2020. Thc
submissions romhc U.S. and hc FUinhc run-up
o hc Novcmbcr COP mccing havc no inspircd
much conidcncc in hc Indian ncgoiaing cam
cihcr. Thc ocus in hc submissions has rcmaincd
srongly on ixing hc naurc o miigaion acions
ha hcy proposc shouldbc undcrakcninhc 2015
compac. On his hcy havc prcscncd dcailcd
suggcsions. Thcir submissions onunds obc madc
availablc o hc dcvcloping worldor adapaion, on
hc ohcr hand, havc rcmaincd rahcr gcncral.

Gist of The Hindu December 2013

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