Best Newspaper for UPSC IAS Preparation

Page12, GS3, Environment

Page1, GS1, Social Issues | GS3, Environnent

Mumbai’s deteriorating air quality in winters and associated problems of

smog and haze have recently become talking point.

Garbage & Industries

Dust from Dust from Unclean Fuels
Solid Waste (Concrete
Construction Roadside in Eateries
Burning Mixing)
#CSLIVE

Q. National Air Quality Index does not take into account which of the
following pollutants?
A) Carbon Dioxide
B) Carbon Monoxide
C) Ammonia
D) Sulphur Dioxide
Answer: A
“CSLIVE Group”
 IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE

Pollution Problem in Mumbai

• Last two years have shown that this geographical advantage no longer offers
reliable protection.
• 2022 witnessed longest spell of poor air quality, on some days more
polluted than Delhi.

Air Quality Index

• Under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the National Air Quality Index was
launched in September 2014 to measure India’s air quality index.
• Emissions of 8 Major Pollutants is observed: PM2.5, PM10, Ozone (O3), (CO),
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), (SO2), Lead (Pb) and Ammonia (NH3) emissions
 WHO TO BLAME?

Winds

• Land and Sea Breeze is characteristic of any coastal space.

When cycle gets disturbed, it
• When winds blow from land to sea, the dust & pollutants get swept away leads to accumulation of
pollutants
acting as a natural cleansing mechanism.

Reasons

Relatively calm winds

Frequency of winds
after withdrawal of La Nina Impact
disturbed
monsoon
 WHO TO BLAME?

Triger this Time

• Withdrawal of Monsoon led to calmer winds in Mumbai.

• Four year high October generated a high temperature gradient between
Sahyadri and Mumbai city.
• This led to high speed winds picking up dust from construction activities
near Navi Mumbai & surrounding areas.
• Number of pollution sources also on a rise.

Mumbai trespassing its Carrying Capacity

• Baseload generation of pollutants is very high and steadily and steadily

getting over the city’s carrying capacity. No matching effort to mitigate.
 3RD EYE ANGLE
SAFAR

• It stands for System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research.

• SAFAR is an air quality monitoring system. It was introduced by the Ministry of
Earth Sciences (MoES) to provide location specific information on air quality in
near real time and its forecast upto 3 days in India.

• Developed by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune along with IMD
and National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting.
• Objectives:
• To increase awareness among the general public regarding the air quality changes in
their city well in advance so that appropriate mitigation measures can be taken up.
 Best Newspaper for UPSC IAS Preparation

Page1, GS2, Polity & Governance

Page12, GS2, Polity & Governance

IN the wake of Assembly Elections, Use of Preventive Detention law in

Telangana is under spotlight.

Preventive Detention

• Preventive detention means detention of a person by the state without

trial and conviction by court, but merely on suspicion.
• The detention could be up to a year unless extended.
 MCQ
PRELIMS MCQ
Q. Identify correct statement in context of Preventive Detention in India:
1. A preventive detention can only be made under Central Law like National
Security Act
2. Preventive Detention cannot exceed 3 Months
3. As per Article 22(5), State is required to communicate to the detainee as soon as
maybe the grounds of his detention and afford him earliest opportunity against
making representation of Detention Order.
Select the correct answer using codes below:
a) Only 1 statement is correct
b) Only 2 statements are correct
c) All are correct
d) None is correct
Answer: A
 IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE

Global Practices

• In countries such as Britain, United States and Canada, preventive detention

is a wartime measure.

Indian Constitution

• Despite its emphasis on individual liberty, Part III, which forms the basic
structure of the Constitution that cannot be amended, also contains
provisions for preventive detention under Article 22.
 IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE

How can Preventive Detention be invoked?

• Major Central Laws under which Preventive Detention can be initiated:

• National Security Act, the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and
Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA)

Powers of State

• 25 states also have preventive detention legislations.

• District Magistrate would issue an order to detain a person when it is
necessary to maintain “public order” This could be done through Police
• Approval of advisory board needed for detention exceeding 3 months.
• Detainee is not allowed legal representation here.
 IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE

The Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Boot Leggers, Dacoits, Drug-

Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Land-Grabbers, Spurious Seed
Offenders, Insecticide Offenders, Fertilizer Offenders, Food Adulteration
Offenders, Fake Document Offenders, Scheduled Commodities Offenders, Forest
Offenders, Gaming Offenders, Sexual Offenders, Explosive Substances Offenders,
Arms Offenders, Cyber Crime Offenders and White Collar or Financial Offenders
Act, (PD Act), 1986.
 IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE
How Preventive Detention Works

• If board confirms detention, detainee can move Court challenging the

detention order.
• Article 22(5): state to communicate to the detainee the grounds of
detention and “shall afford him the earliest opportunity of making a
representation against the order.
• The grounds have to be read in a language that the detainee understands.
• Article 22(6): nothing in clause 5 shall require the state to “disclose facts
that the state considers to be “ against the public interest to disclose.”
 IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE
How Preventive Detention Works

• If board confirms detention, detainee can move Court

challenging the detention order.
• Article 22(5): state to communicate to the detainee the
grounds of detention and “shall afford him the earliest
opportunity of making a representation against the order.
• The grounds have to be read in a language that the detainee
understands.
• Article 22(6): nothing in clause 5 shall require the state to
“disclose facts that the state considers to be “ against the
public interest to disclose.”
 Best Newspaper for UPSC IAS Preparation

Page8, GS2, Polity & Governance

Eruption of a political controversy, due to a circular by Department of

Revenue that nominated officers as “Rath Prabharis” for showcasing Politicalization of Bureaucracy

achievements of government through Vikasit Bharat Sankalp Yatra”

Similar Circular in Defense Ministry

• Ministry of Defence directing soldiers on annual leave to promote

government schemes as “soldier-ambassadors”
 THE CONTROVERSY
Government’s Justification

• Spreading awareness on government schemes to grassroot levels is a task

and duty of civil servants.

Counter Opinion

• The problem, however, lies in the framing of the task assigned to those
bureaucrats who will be “rath prabharis” — to “showcase” and “celebrate”
government “achievements”.
• This goes beyond the work of implementation and monitoring and shrinks
the vital degrees of separation that must be maintained
 IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE

Notion of a “committed bureaucracy”, that prioritizes the interests and agenda of the ruling party,
not its job, is not new

Notable Example

• Early retirement of VK Pandian, seen to rise to the unofficial status of

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s most trusted officer, who has been
given cabinet rank in the state government

Centre & the most strongest party in the country must try to ensure that important lines are not
crossed, and the governing principle of non-political domains is given its due respect.
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