AMIGOS IAS Daily Current Affairs (31^st July 2024)

Option or stratagem?

GS 2: Polity and Governance: Governor

Why is it in the news?

• Recent handling of legislation by some Governors has highlighted serious constitutional concerns. Despite Supreme Court interventions, which criticized Governors for delaying action on state bills, there has been a troubling shift.

More about the news

• Governors are now sending disapproved Bills to the President, where they often face refusal based on the Union government’s advice.
• This practice raises concerns about whether the provision for reserving some Bills for the President’s consideration is being misused to undermine federalism, effectively giving the Centre an indirect veto over State laws—something not intended by the Constitution.
• In the Punjab case, the Court ruled that Governors do not possess a veto over Bills and must return them to the Assembly if they withhold assent. The Assembly is then entitled to receive assent if it re-adopts the Bills.
• Additionally, the Court stressed that Governors should act on Bills “as soon as possible,” a principle seemingly ignored by the Governors of West Bengal and Kerala.
• In Kerala, seven Bills, which likely did not need the President’s assent, were sent to Rashtrapati Bhavan; four were refused without reasons, with delays ranging from 10 to 23 months.
• West Bengal has also faced similar issues with Bill handling, raising questions about whether such central intervention in State legislative matters is permissible under the Constitution.

Additional Information:

What are the Governor’s Powers over State Bills?

• Article 200 of the Indian Constitution includes the process for a state bill to be presented to the Governor for assent which provides for four alternative courses of action for a Governor for assent.
• Give his assent to the bill
• Withhold his assent to the bill
• Return the bill to the state legislature, requesting to reconsider some provisions of the bill, or the bill itself
• However, if the legislature again passes the bill with/without accepting any of the amendments suggested by the Governor, it is constitutionally bound to give assent to the Bill.
• Reserve the bill for the consideration of the President.
• This reservation is mandatory when the bill passed by the State Legislature endangers the position of the State High Court.
• However, the governor can also reserve the bill if it is of the following nature:
• Against the provisions of the Constitution
• Opposed to the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP).
• Against the larger interest of the country
• Of grave national importance
• Deals with compulsory acquisition of property under Article 31A of the Constitution.
• Article 201:
• It states that when a Bill is reserved for the consideration of the President, the President may assent to or withhold assent from the Bill.
• The President may also direct the Governor to return the Bill to the House or Houses of the Legislature of the State for reconsideration.
• Article 361:
• The Governor has complete immunity from court proceedings for any act done in the exercise of their powers.
• This provision poses a unique situation when a government may need to challenge a Governor’s action of withholding assent to a Bill.
• In this case, the Governor should disclose the reason for such refusal since, being a high constitutional authority, they cannot act arbitrarily.

UPSC PYQ Practice Questions

Prelims:

Q. Which of the following are the discretionary powers given to the Governor of a State? (2014)

1. Sending a report to the President of India for imposing the President’s rule

2. Appointing the Ministers

3. Reserving certain bills passed by the State Legislature for consideration of the President of India

4. Making the rules to conduct the business of the State Government

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: B

Mains:

Q. Discuss the essential conditions for exercise of the legislative powers by the Governor. Discuss the legality of re-promulgation of ordinances by the Governor without placing them before the Legislature. (2022)

Q. Whether the Supreme Court Judgement can settle the political tussle between the Lt. Governor and elected government of Delhi? Examine. (2018)

On the ethics of hunger strikes as a mode of protest

GS 4: Miscellaneous: Hunger strike

Why is it in the news?

• Hunger strikes, a potent but contentious form of protest, have long stirred ethical debates. They raise questions about whether it is appropriate to administer medicine against the protester’s will or to employ force-feeding, a potentially dangerous procedure.
• Freedom fighter Jatin Das famously warned against the physical and mental toll of such protests, which deplete the body and mind until death.

More about the news

• Historically, hunger strikes as a form of protest gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Russian political prisoners and suffragettes first used them to challenge oppressive conditions, with force-feeding becoming a notorious response.
• The practice was notably advanced by Irish republicans, such as Terence MacSwiney, whose death in 1920 significantly impacted its use.
• In India, hunger strikes have been employed by various figures, from freedom fighters like Pandit Ram Rakha and Sohan Singh Bhakna to Gandhi, who used fasting as a last resort for social and political reform.
• Notable examples include Potti Sriramulu’s 1952 fast leading to Andhra Pradesh’s formation and Irom Sharmila’s prolonged strike against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
• Despite the absence of foreign colonial forces, Indian state responses to hunger strikes often focus on suppressing the protest, sometimes leading to abuses such as force-feeding.
• The ethical complexity of hunger strikes is heightened by questions surrounding their classification as suicide and the role of medical professionals in force-feeding.
• As theologian Herbert McCabe argued, this form of protest is fraught with moral dilemmas. The response to hunger strikes should be sensitive, acknowledging both the protesters’ rights and the state’s role in addressing the underlying issues.
• In this light, Yeats’ sentiment in The King’s Threshold resonates: hunger strikes hope to prompt society to confront and rectify injustice.

122 dead as landslides flatten Wayanad villages

GS 1&3: Geography and Disaster Management: Landslides

Why is it in the news?

• At least 122 people have died and 197 are injured after multiple landslides flattened three villages in Vythiri taluk, Wayanad district, Kerala. The death toll may rise as more individuals are feared dead.
• The Kerala government has declared a state of mourning for two days.

More about the news

• Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced a major rescue operation involving State and Central forces in affected areas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered ₹2 lakh for the deceased’s families and ₹50,000 for the injured.
• The landslides originated from a waterlogged hillock near the Iruvanipuzha river. The initial landslide occurred at 2 a.m., followed by a second at 4:10 a.m., burying villages under debris and destroying the Chooramala bridge, which isolated the disaster site. Survivors are sheltered in nearby resorts and schools while awaiting evacuation.
• The relentless rain has caused additional landslides in surrounding areas. The government is preparing for more heavy rain in eight districts and advises residents to heed disaster warnings and move to relief camps if needed.

Kerala ignored recommendations to prevent such disasters, says Gadgil

• Ecologist Madhav Gadgil, former Chairman of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, has called the Wayanad disaster a man-made tragedy due to the Kerala government’s failure to implement crucial ecological recommendations.
• He criticized the State for not following the panel’s guidelines, which were designed to prevent such disasters amid extreme climate changes.
• The panel’s report had classified the affected region as highly sensitive, recommending no development in these zones. However, extensive development, including resorts and artificial lakes, has taken place in areas historically used for tea plantations.
• Mr. Gadgil also pointed out that nearby quarries, now defunct, likely contributed to the disaster. Shockwaves from their operational period could have triggered landslides during heavy rains.

Additional Information:

What is a Landslide?

• A landslide is a geological phenomenon characterized by the sudden and rapid downward movement of rock, soil, and debris down a slope under the influence of gravity.
• This movement can range from small, localized shifts to large-scale, destructive events.
• Characteristics of Landslide Prone Areas: Landslides, usually, occur in areas having one or more of the following characteristics:
• Steep terrain such as hilly or mountainous areas.
• Presence of joints and fissures.
• Presence of loosely-packed or weathered material
• Any area that has been modified due to human activities, such as deforestation or construction.
• Types: Landslides are categorized into several types based on their movement characteristics: slides (rotational and translational), flows (earth flows, debris flows, mudflows, and creep), spreads, topples, and falls.

• Causes: Landslides can be triggered by natural causes like heavy rainfall, earthquakes, snowmelt, Volcanic eruption and slope undercutting, as well as anthropogenic activities such as excavation, deforestation, excessive infrastructure development, and overgrazing.

How Do Landslides in the Himalayan Region Differ from Those in the Western Ghats?

Region	Causes
Himalayas	High seismicity from plate tectonic activityEasily erodible sedimentary rocksYoung, energetic rivers with high erodibilityHeavy downpour and snowfallAnthropogenic factors such as deforestation, jhum cultivation, and road construction
Western Ghats	Concentrated rainfallOverburdening of hillsMining and quarryingAnthropogenic activities such as agriculture and windmill projectsForest fragmentation with dense vegetation on thin soil

Landslide vulnerability of India:

• According to the Geological Survey of India (GSI), about 0.42 million square km of India’s landmass, or about 13% of its area, spread over 15 states and four Union Territories.
• A breakdown of reported landslides in India is as follows:
• Approximately 66.5% occur in the North-Western Himalayas
• About 18.8% occur in the North-Eastern Himalayas
• Around 14.7% occur in the Western Ghats

Measures Taken by India to Address Landslides:

• The Disaster Management Act of 2005 establishes a comprehensive framework for managing disasters, including landslides, with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) collaborating with GSI and other agencies to mitigate and manage landslide risks.
• National Guidelines on Landslides and Snow Avalanches (2009), prepared by the NDMA, provide a framework for mitigating landslide risks at all levels.
• National Landslide Risk Management Strategy (2019) addresses all facets of landslide disaster risk reduction and management, including hazard mapping, monitoring, early warning systems and preparation of mountain zone regulations.
• In 2023, the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) released the Landslide Atlas of India, detailing landslide hotspots with a 100 sq. m resolution, highlighting both traditional high-risk areas and newly identified regions, based on a risk assessment of 80,000 landslides across 147 districts in 17 states and two Union Territories.

Recommended Actions:

• Building Resilience to Multi-Hazard Disasters: To tackle these challenges, it is crucial to enhance resilience against geo-hazards resulting from natural processes, environmental degradation, and human activities.
• Promoting terrace farming, afforestation, bund construction, and retaining walls on mountain slopes can significantly reduce landslide risks by stabilizing soil and controlling material flow.
• Integrated Early Warning System (EWS): Developing an integrated Early Warning System (EWS) with AI and Machine Learning (ML) is essential for predicting hazards and alerting communities, providing critical time for preventive action.
• Building Codes and Assessment: High-resolution mapping and load-bearing capacity assessments are crucial for developing effective building codes, ensuring safe and resilient construction in areas prone to natural hazards.
• Sustainable tourism helps mitigate landslides by fostering environmental conservation, protecting natural resources, and respecting ecosystems, while also offering economic and social benefits that boost local communities’ resilience to natural hazards.

Recommendations of Committees on Western Ghats:

• In 2010, the Union Environment Ministry appointed the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), chaired by ecologist Dr. Madhav Gadgil, which submitted its report to the Centre in 2011.

Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, 2011 (headed by Madhav Gadgil):

• Entire Western Ghats should be designated as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) with limited development in graded zones, classified into ESA-1, ESA-2, and ESA-3, where ESA-1 has the highest restriction on developmental activities, and 64% of the region should be categorized into Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZ) 1, 2, and 3.
• The report recommended a bottom-up approach for environmental governance, advocating for decentralization and greater authority for local authorities instead of a top-down method.
• The report recommended establishing the Western Ghats Ecology Authority (WGEA) as a statutory body under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to manage the region’s ecology and ensure sustainable development.
• In ESZ 1, nearly all developmental activities such as mining, thermal power plants, and dam construction are to be halted, and decommissioning of outdated projects is required.
• In all zones, genetically modified crops should be banned, plastic bags prohibited, Special Economic Zones disallowed, and new hill stations restricted.

• In 2012, the Union Environment Ministry constituted a High-Level Working Group on Western Ghats under former ISRO chief Dr K Kasturirangan, to formulate a report to replace WGEEP.

Recommendations of the Kasturirangan-led Panel:

• Instead of the proposed 64%, only 37% of the Western Ghats’ area was designated as ecologically sensitive, contrary to the Gadgil Commission’s recommendation.
• The panel divided the Western Ghats into cultural (human settlements) and natural (non-human settlements) regions, recommending that only the cultural lands be designated as ESA.
• It also consisted of red, orange and green categories.
• The red list entailed a ban on mining, stone quarrying, thermal plans and certain construction and township projects.
• The orange category had activities that would be regulated and taken up with appropriate permissions.
• The green category allows all agricultural and horticultural activities and commercial activities.

UPSC PYQ Mains Practice Questions:

Q. Describe the various causes and the effects of landslides. Mention the important components of the National Landslide Risk Management Strategy. (2021)

Q. Differentiate the causes of landslides in the Himalayan region and Western Ghats. (2021)

Q. The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides.” Discuss the causes and suggest suitable measures of mitigation. (2016)

Hunger in India came down to 13.7% during 2021-23 period: UN-FAO Report

GS 2: Society: Hunger

Why is it in the news?

• Hunger in India has decreased significantly, falling from 16.6% in the 2020-2022 period to 13.7% in 2021-2023, according to the latest United Nations-Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO) report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2024).
• This reduction means that approximately 39.3 million people have moved out of undernourishment.

More about the news

• The SOFI 2024 report also addressed earlier controversies regarding hunger statistics. Last October, the central government criticized the UN-FAO’s SOFI 2023 report, which indicated an increase in hunger post-Covid.
• The government argued that the FAO’s estimates were based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) survey, which they deemed flawed and biased due to its small sample size of 3,000 respondents.
• Consequently, the government had requested the FAO to refrain from using such estimates and suggested revisions to the FIES methodology.
• In contrast, the SOFI 2024 report found that global hunger, measured by the Prevalence of Undernourishment (PoU), has remained steady at 9.1% for three consecutive years after rising sharply from 2019 to 2021.
• This rate is still higher than the 7.5% recorded in 2019, highlighting a persistent global hunger issue.

Additional Information:

About Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO):

• The Food and Agriculture Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to combating global hunger.
• Established in 1945, the FAO’s founding anniversary is celebrated each year on October 16th as World Food Day.
• Based in Rome, Italy, the FAO is part of the UN’s food aid network, which includes the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Key Reports and Publications:

• The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA)
• The State of the World’s Forests (SOFO)
• The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI)
• The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA)
• The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO)

UPSC PYQ Mains Practice Questions:

Q. How far do you agree with the view that the focus on lack of availability of food as the main cause of hunger takes the attention away from ineffective human development policies in India? (2018)

Ideas4LiFE portal

GS 3: Environment and Biodiversity: Resources Conservation

Why is it in the news?

• Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, launched the Ideas4LiFE initiative at IIT Delhi, calling on students, researchers, and faculty to submit innovative ideas for promoting environmentally friendly lifestyles.
• The initiative supports the Prime Minister’s vision for mindful resource use and is part of the Mission LiFE effort.

More about the news

• Shri Yadav stressed the need for responsible resource utilization and conservation, highlighting that nature provides essential resources and must be protected for future generations.
• The Ideas4LiFE portal, available at ‘Ideas4Life.nic.in’, will collect and reward winning ideas across seven themes: Save Water, Save Energy, Reduce Waste, Reduce E-Waste, Say No to Single-Use Plastics, Adopt Sustainable Food Systems, and Adopt Healthy Lifestyles.

• Shri Yadav also participated in the ‘EkPedMaaKeNaam’ or ‘Plant4Mother’ movement by planting a sapling at the IIT Delhi campus. The initiative is supported by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and aims to engage educational institutions nationwide.

Additional Information:

Mission LiFE:

• About:
• Mission LiFE, also known as Lifestyle for Environment, is a worldwide initiative launched by India during the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in November 2021, inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi.
• The movement seeks to inspire individuals and communities globally to take proactive steps in environmental protection and preservation, with a goal to engage one billion Indians and people worldwide in embracing sustainable lifestyles.
• NITI Aayog is piloting Mission LiFE, with implementation overseen by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
• Salient Features:
• It functions as a global platform to highlight sustainable goals and climate actions pursued by nations and individuals globally.
• It operates under the principles of ‘Lifestyle of the planet, for the planet, and by the planet’, aligned with the P3 model—Promoting Pro Planet People—encouraging collective responsibility in the fight against climate change, thereby ensuring democratic participation where everyone can contribute based on their capabilities.
• Strategy: It aims at following a three-pronged strategy for changing people’s collective approach towards sustainability:
• Nudging individuals to practice simple yet effective environment-friendly actions in their daily lives (demand)
• Enabling industries and markets to respond swiftly to the changing demand (supply)
• To influence government and industrial policy to support both sustainable consumption and production (policy).

Climate Finance Action Fund (CFAF)

GS 3: Environment and Biodiversity: Climate Fund

Why is it in the news?

• Azerbaijan, hosting the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, has unveiled the Climate Finance Action Fund (CFAF).

More about the news

• As a founding contributor, Azerbaijan will support the fund, which also garners contributions from fossil fuel-producing countries and companies in the oil, gas, and coal sectors. The CFAF’s secretariat will be located in Baku.
• The CFAF, part of the 14 initiatives introduced during COP29’s thematic days, aims to mobilize private sector investments through a public-private partnership model and de-risk these investments.
• It will provide concessional and grant-based support for addressing natural disasters in developing nations. The initial fundraising goal is $1 billion, and the fund will become operational once 10 countries have committed as shareholders.
• Capital allocation for the CFAF will see 50% directed towards climate projects in developing countries, focusing on mitigation, adaptation, and research and development. The remaining 50% will support countries in achieving their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to meet the 1.5°C temperature target.
• Additionally, 20% of the revenues generated will be allocated to a Rapid Response Funding Facility (2R2F) for providing highly concessional and grant-based support.

Additional Information:

What is the Conference of Parties COP?

• The Conference of Parties (COP) is the apex decision-making body of the United Nations Climate Change Framework Convention (UNFCCC).
• The UNFCCC was formed in 1994 to stabilize the greenhouse gas emissions and to protect the earth from the threat of climate change.
• COP meetings aim to assess progress in limiting climate change by discussing global agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with negotiations often leading to new treaties or refined targets, such as the Kyoto Protocol.

About Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs):

• Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) are central to the Paris Agreement and the achievement of its long-term goals.
• NDCs are non-binding climate action plans that represent each nation’s efforts to lower national emissions and prepare for the effects of climate change (applying equally to developed and develop-ing nations).
• Each Party shall prepare, communicate, and maintain consecutive nationally determined contribu-tions (NDCs) that it expects to achieve by Article 4, Paragraph 2, of the Paris Agreement.
• NDCs are updated by each nation and submitted to the UNFCCC secretariat every five years.

UPSC PYQ Mains Practice Questions:

Q. Describe the major outcomes of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). What are the commitments made by India in this conference? (2021)

Q. Explain the purpose of the Green Grid Initiative launched at the World Leaders Summit of the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November 2021. When was this idea first floated in the International Solar Alliance (ISA)? (2021)