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World Resource Institute (WRI) India’s recent publication titled ‘Jobs near metro rail transit in Bengaluru: Enabling an accessible and productive city’.

• It underscores the critical need for integrated spatio-economic planning and bringing jobs closer to transit through Transit Oriented Development (TOD).

Background

• India’s 2017 National Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Policy promotes urban planning around mass transit hubs, enhancing mobility and economic growth. 
• With ₹3 trillion in metro rail projects (between 2022–2027) underway, 27 cities are integrating TOD to maximise urban and economic benefits.

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Transit Oriented Development

• About: Transit Oriented Development or TOD is densification around nodes and corridors of public transit so that households can live in close proximity to their jobs. 
  • TOD focuses on creation of high density mixed land use development in the influence zone of transit stations, i.e. within the walking distance of (500-800 m)
  • It enables them to walk to work or use public transit when required instead of depending on private vehicles.
  • It promotes urban development that is compact, mixed-use, pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly, and closely integrated with mass transit by clustering jobs, housing, services, and amenities around public transport stations.
• Based on Premise: TOD is based on the premise that economic growth, urban transport, and land use can be managed more efficiently if planned together.
• Examples: TOD has been successfully applied at a city scale in cities around the world including Stockholm, Copenhagen, Hong Kong SAR, Tokyo, and Singapore.
• Figure shows : TOD along Transit Stations

Benefits of Transit-Oriented Development

• Reduction in commutation time: Reduce the need to Commute and thereby, reduce traffic and congestion in the streets as well as reduce pollution caused by vehicles
• Enable efficient use of available land.
• Agglomeration Effects: Promoting higher densities and the concentration of jobs within relatively small areas, TOD creates agglomeration effects proven to boost a city’s competitiveness. 
  • Studies have shown that doubling job density, for instance, increases economic productivity by 5 to 10%.
  • This concentration creates vibrant communities with high-quality public areas and shorter commuting distances making cities more livable.
• Boost Real Estate Value: Proximity to mass transit improves access to TOD neighbourhoods, boosting their attractiveness and increasing real estate value.
• Enable healthy and active lifestyles by creating walkable communities: TOD promotes walking, cycling, and public transit to decrease reliance on personal vehicles.
• Improves the financial Viability of the Public Transport System: TOD increases the accessibility of the transit stations by creating pedestrian and Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) friendly infrastructure that benefits a large number of people, thereby increasing the ridership of the transit facility and improving the economic and financial viability of the system.

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Way Forward for Enabling Transit Oriented Development

• Coordinated Planning Across Sectors: Realising Transit-Oriented Development (ToD) necessitates collaborative efforts across various sectors. 
  • There is a need to integrate ToD as a key component in the city’s master plan, identifying urban centres that align with the mass transport network and infrastructure.
• Promotion of Mixed Land Use: Mixed land use should be stipulated for development/ redevelopment in the TOD zone as it would reduce the need for travel by providing most of the activities such as shopping, entertainment and public amenities such as schools, parks, playgrounds, hospitals etc. within the walking distance of the residents.
• Enhancing Transit Accessibility: There is a need to implement policies that favour public transport, such as reducing parking availability in urban areas and promoting public transit use over private vehicles.
• Multimodal Integration : Integrated multimodal transport systems should ensure seamless connectivity and user-friendly design.
  • Adequate parking and pickup/drop-off zones are essential to prevent congestion and enhance first and last mile connectivity around transit stations.
• Focus on pedestrians, cyclists and Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) users: The streets should be designed for users of all age groups and for all types of commuters including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders. They should be safe and accessible by all. 
• Localised Implementation for Demonstration: Cities can start ToD projects in manageable, localised areas near city centres. 
  • These successful projects can serve as demonstrations for scaling up ToD efforts in other areas, boosting confidence and replicating successful models.
• Learning from International Examples: Adapt strategies and practices that have proven effective in other cities to fit the local context and needs.

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Recently, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has updated  Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to prevent the deterioration of air quality in Delhi-NCR.

What is Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)?

• It is a statutory body.

• This body monitors air pollution  in the National Capital Region (NCR).
  • It also coordinates with different states and departments. 
• Jurisdiction: covers  Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
• Powers: It can impose fines on polluters. 

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About Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)

• GRAP is a set of emergency actions to prevent further worsening of air quality in Delhi-NCR when pollution levels cross a certain limit.
• Approval: GRAP was approved by the Supreme Court in 2016 after the M.C. Mehta vs. Union of India case.

• Start: It was officially implemented in 2017.
• GRAP Purpose: Works as an emergency alert system, guiding governments to act based on pollution severity.

• Implementation

• • Current Authority (Since 2021): The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) is responsible for implementing GRAP measures.
  • Previous Authority (Until 2020): The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) managed GRAP implementation until it was dissolved in 2020.
  • Forecasting: CAQM uses air quality and weather forecasts provided by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

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Key Features of Revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)

• Focus Shift: GRAP now focuses on the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) instead of just PM2.5 and PM10 levels.
• Expanded Pollutants: The AQI includes eight pollutants: PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, ammonia, and lead.
• Four Pollution Stages: GRAP categorizes pollution into four stages based on AQI levels: Poor, Very Poor, Severe, and Severe+.
  • Stage I: Poor (AQI 201-300)
  • Stage II: Very Poor (AQI 301-400)
  • Stage III: Severe (AQI 401-450)
  • Stage IV: Severe+ (AQI > 450)

• Evolution from Reactive to Proactive Measures

• • Old Approach: Earlier, actions were triggered only after 3 consecutive days of severe pollution.
  • New Approach: Now, the system forecasts pollution levels for 3 days.
  • Impact of Vehicles: Half of Delhi’s pollution during winters is due to vehicles, according to the Decision Support System (DSS).

Challenges in Implementing Revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)

• Construction Restrictions: Construction activities that cause dust pollution are banned under Stage III, except for critical public projects.
• Coordination Issues: There are concerns about the ability of NCR departments to coordinate and enforce measures effectively.
• Vehicle Emissions Control:
  • The pollution under-control certificate system is not effective in identifying polluting vehicles.
  • Remote sensing devices have been introduced to identify gross polluters.
• Vehicle Compliance: A study shows 89% of Delhi’s vehicles meet BS-IV or BS-VI standards, while 11% are pre-BS-IV models.
• Public Awareness: Citizens often remain unaware of pollution alerts and necessary actions.

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Way forward

• While the revised GRAP helps control winter pollution, it focuses on symptoms, not causes.
• Long-term progress needs systemic reforms, such as better waste management and year-round vehicle emissions control.
• Coordinated Efforts:
• • GRAP should be implemented consistently, aligned with the Policy to Curb Pollution for Delhi-NCR, which offers short-, medium-, and long-term solutions for all sectors.

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Israel unleashed its most widespread wave of airstrikes against hundreds of Hezbollah targets, in Lebanon.

About Lebanon

• Capital:   Beirut 
• Location:
  • It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lies to its west across the Mediterranean Sea.
  • Part of the Levant region of the Middle East.

Physical Features of Lebanon

• Lebanon Mountains: 100-mile-long range with snow-capped peaks and deep gorges. 
• Highest point: Qurnat as Sawda’ (10,128 ft).
• Al-Biqāʿ Valley: Fertile valley between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains, part of the East African Rift System.
• Al-Biqāʿ Valley: Fertile valley between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains, part of the East African Rift System.
• Rivers: Over a dozen minor rivers flow from the mountains, with the Litani being the most significant.

Levant region of the Middle East

• Levant (from the French lever, “to rise,” as in sunrise, meaning the east)
• Historically region along the eastern Mediterranean shores, roughly corresponding to modern-day Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and certain adjacent areas. 

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More than one crore futures and options (F&0) traders lost 21.81 lakh crore in F&O during FY22-FY24, according to a Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)

About Futures and Options Trading

• F&O are financial derivatives that derive their value from an underlying asset (such as stocks, indices, commodities, or currencies)
• They are contracts between two parties, where they agree to buy or sell the underlying asset at a predetermined price on a future date.

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What are Derivatives?

• According to SEBI, derivatives are financial contracts that allow investors to buy or sell an asset at a future date. 
• They are a leveraged form of trading, which means that investors can buy a large quantity of assets by paying a small amount.
• Common derivatives include futures contracts, forwards, options, and swaps. 
• Derivatives can be traded on an exchange or over the counter. 
• In India, SEBI regulates the derivative market. 
• Derivatives can be used for hedging or speculation.

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Types of Derivatives

• Futures Contract: Agreement to buy or sell the underlying asset at a future date for a predetermined price.
• Obligatory for both parties to fulfill the contract on the agreed-upon date.
  • They are subjected to high risk and can reap unlimited profit or loss.
  • Less flexible as it’s obligatory.
  • Underlying assets include physical commodities and financial instruments (stocks, currencies and bonds etc.)
• Options Contract: Provides the buyer with the right, not the obligation, to buy (call option) or sell (put option) the underlying asset at a predetermined price.
  • They carry limited risk and can reap either unlimited profit or loss.
  • More flexible as the buyer can choose not to execute.

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The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a “Pact for the Future” which calls for the expansion of the UNSC, to make the body more representative of the 21st century.

About “Pact for the Future”

• Pact for the Future: A “landmark declaration” adopted by the UNGA to enhance global governance, accelerate sustainable development, and address key international issues.
• Objective: To make the UN more relevant and effective in the 21st century, addressing criticisms of the organisation’s failure to prevent conflicts and enforce accountability.

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Key Components 

• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The pact reaffirms commitment to speeding up progress towards achieving the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement.
• Human Rights and Gender Equality: Strengthens commitments to human rights, with a focus on women’s rights and protection of vulnerable populations during humanitarian crises.
• Conflict Resolution and Peacekeeping: Calls for reviewing UN peacekeeping operations and addressing the root causes of conflicts.
• Disarmament: Promises to revitalise efforts toward nuclear and biological weapons disarmament, though details remain rhetorical.
• Digital and Future Generations:
  • Global Digital Impact: Focuses on regulating artificial intelligence (AI).
  • Declaration on Future Generations: Aims to secure the well-being of future generations by aligning national and international decision-making accordingly.

Challenges and Criticisms

• Lofty Goals, Thin Implementation Plans: The pact outlines ambitious objectives (e.g., ending hunger, achieving gender equality, protecting the environment) but lacks clear, actionable steps for implementation.
• Security Council Reforms: Pledges to address historical injustices against Africa and improve representation for Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean in the UNSC. 
  • However, no specific roadmap is provided for speeding up reforms.
• Financial Architecture: Calls for reform of international financial systems and responses to global shocks, but concrete steps are missing.

Opposition

• Countries in Opposition: Russia, Iran, North Korea, Belarus, Syria, and Nicaragua opposed the pact, citing concerns over national sovereignty and the influence of external entities on domestic affairs.
• Amendments: Russia proposed amendments to assert intergovernmental decision-making and to prevent UN intervention in domestic matters, which were rejected by the majority of UN members.

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About United Nations Security Council

The United Nations Security Council, established under the UN Charter in 1945, constitutes one of the UN’s six principal organs.

• First Session: It held its first session on 17th January 1946 in Westminster, London.
• Headquarters: New York City
• Mandate: It has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security.
• Members: Comprising 15 members, it includes 5 permanent members (P5) and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.
  • Permanent members: They are the United States, Russian Federation, France, China, and the United Kingdom.
  • 10 non-permanent Members:  Seats are distributed on a regional basis:
    • Five for African and Asian States
    • One for Eastern European States
    • Two for the Latin American and Caribbean States
    • Two for Western European and other States
  • An informal understanding reserves one seat for an Arab country in the Africa-Asia group.

• Decision Making:  Decisions of the Security Council are binding
  • Majority: It must only be passed by a majority of nine out of the 15 members, as well as each of the five permanent members.
• “Veto power”: It refers to the power of the permanent member to veto (Reject) any resolution of the Security Council.
  • Criticism:  The unconditional veto possessed by the five governments has been seen as the most undemocratic character of the UN.
    • Critics also claim that veto power is the main cause for international inaction on war crimes and crimes against humanity.
  • Supporters of the Veto Power: They regard it as a promoter of international stability, a check against military interventions, and a critical safeguard against U.S. domination.
• Chapter VI of the UN Charter: When the Security Council considers a threat to international peace, it first explores ways to settle the dispute peacefully under Chapter VI 
• Chapter VII of the Charter: Council can also take measures to enforce its decisions.
  • It can impose economic sanctions or order an arms embargo. 
  • On rare occasions, the Security Council has authorised member states to use all necessary means, including collective military action, to see that its decisions are carried out.

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Dengue cases are rising globally, with Brazil and South America experiencing record highs. 

year-on-year.

About Dengue

• Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes.
• About half of the world’s population is now at risk of dengue with an estimated 100–400 million infections occurring each year.
• Dengue is found in tropical and sub-tropical climates worldwide, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas.
• While many dengue infections are asymptomatic or produce only mild illness, the virus can occasionally cause more severe cases, and even death.
• Prevention and control of dengue depend on vector control. 
• There is no specific treatment for dengue/severe dengue.
• Early detection and access to proper medical care greatly lower fatality rates of severe dengue.
• Caused by: Dengue virus (Genus Flavivirus), 
• Transmitted by: Several species of female mosquito within the genus Aedes principally Aedes aegypti.
  • This mosquito also transmits chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika infection.
• 4 distinct serotypes (separate groups within a species of microorganisms that all share a similar characteristic) of the virus that cause dengue : DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4.

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Global Burden of Dengue

• Dengue cases have surged globally, with over 6.5 million cases reported in 2023, surpassing the previous record of 5.2 million in 2019.
• In 2024 (till August) it reached an all time high with 12.06 Million reported cases and 6990 deaths.
• Many cases remain unreported or misdiagnosed, highlighting the true extent of the dengue burden.

Reason for Surge in Dengue Cases

• Urbanisation: Increased Population Density, Expansion of Cities & Human Movement
• Climate Change : Warmer temperatures and altered rainfall patterns.
• Increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather.
• Changing climate allows Aedes mosquitoes to expand their range.

Vaccines for Dengue

• Dengvaxia: It is a Live recombinant tetravalent vaccine recommended for ages 9–45 or 9–60 years, depending on the country. 
  • Safe for those with prior dengue infection and has shown around 80% efficacy.
• Qgenda: It is a Live-attenuated vaccine recommended for ages 6–16 in high transmission areas.
  • Two-dose series to be administered three months apart.
• Till Now there is no Dengue vaccine available in India.

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The world’s oceans are nearing critical acidity levels, threatening marine life and their role in climate stabilisation, according to a new report by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).

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Key Findings of the report

• Six out of nine planetary boundaries, including climate change, species loss, habitat destruction, freshwater depletion, and pollution, have already been exceeded.
• Ocean acidification is set to become the seventh breached boundary due to increasing CO2 emissions.
• Breaching these limits disrupts ecosystems, food supplies, and the oceans’ ability to absorb CO2.
• All nine boundaries are interconnected, meaning addressing one issue can positively impact others, as highlighted by efforts to limit global warming.

About Ocean Acidification

• Reduction in the pH of the ocean over an extended period of time caused primarily by the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.
• CO2 Absorption :Ocean absorbs about 30 percent of the CO2 released in the atmosphere increasing levels of Oceanic CO2 and acidification.
  • Positive: Mitigate the effects of global warming by absorbing some of the carbon dioxide gas (CO2) released into the atmosphere. 
  • Negative: Uptake of anthropogenic CO2 causes acidification which can harm marine ecosystems.
• Ocean Acidification Process : When CO2 is absorbed by seawater, a series of chemical reactions occur resulting in the increased concentration of hydrogen ions.
  • Carbon dioxide dissolves into seawater and forms carbonic acid (H2CO3), a weak acid that breaks into hydrogen ions (H+) and bicarbonate ions (HCO3-).
  • This increase in H+ causes the seawater to become more acidic and causes carbonate ions to be relatively less abundant.

Impact of Climate Change on Acidification rate

• Impact of CO2 Concentration: Rising atmospheric CO2 increases ocean temperatures and acidification, which harm marine ecosystems.
• Impact on polar region: Polar regions absorb more CO2 due to cooler waters, causing faster acidification than in warmer areas.
• Rise in temperature accelerating Acidification:Melting sea ice accelerates ocean acidification in the Arctic Ocean.
  • As sea ice melts, more water is exposed to the atmosphere, which lowers the pH of the surface water.
  • In the Central Arctic Ocean, the pH can decrease by about 0.1 unit per decade, which is much faster than other oceans.
• Changing Ocean Circulation: Ocean circulation upwell nutrient-rich, acidic deep waters which  intensifies acidification in some regions.
• Impact in tropical sea: rising surface temperatures slow CO2 exchange between deep and surface waters, reducing absorption.
  • Warmer waters lead to stratification, limiting CO2 uptake and causing deoxygenation in deeper layer

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Acidification can have several negative effects

• Drop in the pH of the ocean water which can make it difficult for certain species of coastal life to create their exoskeletons, which is essential for their survival. 
• Ocean acidification contributes to a loss of biodiversity.
• It reduces the amount of carbonate, a key building block in seawater. 
  • Makes it more difficult for marine organisms, such as coral and some plankton, to form their shells and skeletons, and existing shells may begin to dissolve.

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Seventh Annual Report is being brought out by NSSO on the basis of Periodic Labour Force Survey conducted during July 2023-June 2024.

Conceptual Framework of Key Employment and Unemployment Indicators

• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR)  is defined as Percentage of persons in the labour force (i.e. working or seeking or available for work) in the population.
• Worker Population Ratio (WPR): Percentage of employed persons in the population.
• Unemployment Rate (UR): Percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the labour force.
• Activity Status – Determined on the basis of the activities pursued by the person during the specified reference period. 
• Usual Activity Status: Activity Status of a person in the last 365 days which Includes both ps and ss.
  • Principal activity status (ps): The activity status on which a person spent relatively long time (major time criterion) during 365 days preceding the date of survey, was considered the usual principal activity status of the person.
  • Subsidiary economic activity status (ss): Activity status in which a person in addition to his/her usual principal status, performs some economic activity for 30 days or more for the reference period of 365 days preceding the date of survey.
• Current Weekly Status (CWS) :Activity status determined on the basis of a reference period of last 7 days preceding the date of survey.

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Key Findings of Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report

• Estimates of key labour market indicators in usual status (ps+ss)

1. Increasing Trend in Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for persons of age 15 years and above

• Rural areas: increased from 50.7% in 2017-18 to 63.7% in 2023-24
• Urban areas : increased from 47.6% to 52.0%
• Males:Increased from 75.8% in 2017-18 to 78.8% in 2023-24 
• Females: Increased from 23.3% to 41.7%. 

2. Increasing Trend in Worker Population Ratio (WPR) for persons of age 15 years and above

• Rural areas: Increased from 48.1% in 2017-18 to 62.1% in 2023-24 
• Urban areas: Increased from 43.9% to 49.4%
• Male:Increased from 71.2% in 2017-18 to 76.3% in 2023-24 
• Female: Increased from 22.0% to 40.3%

3. Decreasing Trend in Unemployment Rate (UR) for persons of age 15 years and above

• Rural areas :Decreased from 5.3% in 2017-18 to 2.5% in 2023-24 
• Urban areas: Decreased from 7.7% to 5.1%
• Male: Decreased from 6.1% in 2017-18 to 3.2% in 2023- 24 
• Female: Decreased from 5.6% to 3.2%.

What is the Periodic Labour Force Survey?

• The Survey is conducted by the NSO under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) to measure the employment and unemployment situation in India.
• NSO launched the PLFS in April 2017 replacing the Employment and Unemployment survey (EUS).

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Objective of Periodic Labour Force Survey

• To estimate the key employment and unemployment indicators (viz. Worker Population Ratio, Labour Force Participation Rate, Unemployment Rate):
• Short-term urban focus: Estimate key employment and unemployment indicators for urban areas every three months using the Current Weekly Status (CWS).
• Annual rural and urban assessment: Estimate employment and unemployment indicators for both rural and urban areas annually, using both the Usual Status and CWS.

Central Government has introduced many Employment generation schemes to overcome the Unemployment Issues:

Provision for Employment in Budget of 2024

• To stimulate employment generation across all sectors, including manufacturing, three Employment-linked incentive (“ELI”) schemes have been introduced in the 2024 budget.
• These schemes offer subsidies to both employers and employees for a period of two years, based on EPF enrolments.
• The proposed measures will also help extend EPF coverage to more employees across sectors.
• The ELI schemes aim to:
  • Recognize and benefit first-time employees while encouraging new entrants into the workforce.
  • Generate new job opportunities across various sectors.
  • Provide support to employers for generating additional employment opportunities.

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The Supreme Court in its recent order has tightened the law on Child Pornography outlining a strict interpretation as to what constitutes an offense of “storage of child pornography”.  

Background

• Petitioner:  The decision comes in a plea filed by Just Rights for Children Alliance.

• Background: The Supreme Court has overruled the single-judge Bench order of the Madras High Court quashing criminal proceedings against a 28-year-old man charged with downloading and possessing child pornography on his mobile phone.
  • Charges: The accused was charged with violating Section 14(1), which punishes using children for pornographic purposes and Section 67B of the Information Technology Act 2000.
  • Ground of Acquittal: There was no evidence of the accused using a child for pornographic purposes or transmitting, sharing or publishing the material he possessed.

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About the Supreme Court Judgement

• The Court expanded on the interpretation of Section 15 of the POCSO Act, dealing with the “Punishment for storage of pornographic material involving a child”. 
• “Inchoate” Offense: Even Possession of child pornographic material without ever transmitting or sharing it will also be considered an ‘overt steps’ taken towards committing a crime ie. Section 15 could even be used to punish the “intent” to commit such an act.
  • Inchoate offenses are the acts  that are in anticipation or preparation for committing a further criminal act.
• Defined “Possession”: Possession in child pornography cases goes beyond just physical possession and includes “constructive possession” ie. the power to control the material in question and the knowledge of exercise of such control.
  • It held that viewing, distributing or displaying such material irrespective of whether it is shared or transmitted  would still amount to it being in the accused’s “possession” under Section 15.
  • Example: The Power and Knowledge of control includes streaming the images on internet without even downloading or the ability to print them, save them, forward them or delete them etc.
• Emphasis on Reporting: A person will only be absolved of any liability of possessing Child Pornographic content only when he/she reports it  to the specified authorities.
  • Penalty:  There is a provision for penalty for not reporting a case with a fine not less than five thousand rupees in the first instance.
•  Fixing Liability: A person can be convicted of an offense if it is established that he possessed the child pornographic material “at any given point” and not necessarily at the time of filing of an FIR.
  • It means that if a person immediately after storing and watching child pornography deletes the same before an FIR could be registered could still be found liable under Section 15.
• Determining “Intention”: The intention or  mens rea of the accused can be determined based on the ‘manner’ in which such material is stored or possessed and the ‘circumstances’ in which the same was not deleted, destroyed or reported.
  • A failure to delete or destroy or report child pornography would allow the court to “indirectly” infer that the concerned individual intended to share or distribute it under Section 15(1).
• Registering of Case: The court guided the police and lower courts into making an enquiry with respect to all the sub-sections under Section 15 while making out a case.
  • The sub-sections (1), (2) and (3) of Section 15 are independent of each other. If a case is not falling within one sub-section, that does not mean that it does not fall within the entire Section 15.
• Change in Terminology: The Court has asked the Parliament to amend the term child pornography with the term ‘child sexual exploitative and abusive material‘ by bringing an Ordinance.
• Social Media Platform Responsibilities: Social Media Intermediaries cannot claim exemption from the liability under Section 79 of the IT Act in cases of Child Pornography and has to follow due diligence by removing such content and also making an immediate report of such content to the concerned police units in the manner specified under the POCSO Act.

About Child Pornography

• Child Pornography is “any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor” ie. below  18 years of age. These depictions can be across a number of different media, including:
  • Photographs; Videos; Digital images or videos; Undeveloped film; Computer generated images indistinguishable from an actual minor
• Child Porn Market:  As per the US-based National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), 
  • India accounts for the maximum number of online child sexual abuse imagery in the world with Indian users having uploaded 25,000 images or videos in the first half of 2024
    • Delhi tops the list for the maximum uploads of child porn, followed by Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
  • NCRB Data: As per the latest NCRB report 2018, India reported 781 cases of creating or storing child porn with Odisha reporting the maximum number of such cases (333).
    • NCRB estimates that one child is sexually abused every 15 minutes in India.

Impact of Pornography on Children And Society

• Psychological Impact: Children exposed to porn may usually be subject to depression, anger, and anxiety causing mental anguish. 
• Sexual Addiction: Watching porn produces a sense of sexual gratification and obsession which can take the form of addiction which can affect the daily functioning of children, their biological clock, work, and their relationship with society.
• Sexual Objectification:  Adolescent pornography perpetuates gender stereotypes, especially on males who are more likely to look at women as sex material which might encourage attitudes sympathetic to sexual abuse and violence against women.
• Engage in Unsafe Sex: Children exposed to porn may try unsafe sexual health practices like not using condoms and unsafe anal and virginal sex.

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Challenges

• Lax Attitude: Social Media Intermediaries are not acting fast enough in the removal of such content focusing instead on revenue and maximum visibility in countries with relatively less stringent laws. 
  • Example: In USA, these intermediary companies record and  report child porn instances to a governing body and also make it public. 
• Expansive Network: Child Porn can be created by literally anyone from a family member to a criminal racket or cyber stranger or even self-generated. The Network consist of creators, distributors, consumers all distinct from one another, therefore difficult to trace.
• Cyber Grooming: Children are being groomed to participate in sexual activities through social media friends, peers or trafficking rackets operating online through coercion, blackmail or simply persuasion.
  • As per reports, 70-90 per cent of all child abuse is perpetrated by people known to the child. 
• Creating a Cycle of Abuse: Child sex abuse is mainly a result of more intimate experiences a child face in its environment like pathological family atmosphere with exposures to sexual behaviours and sexual acts, molestation in childhood, sexual interests and exploration, coercion into homosexual acts, which increases the risk of them becoming young sexual offenders
• Easy Availability on Dark Web: Transactions in cryptocurrency, onion routing, encrypted chats and Protonmail (which also cannot be tracked) makes investigating Dark Web extremely time consuming and tedious process requiring only a specialised agency.
  • Example: Search engines like Onion Land and Onion Dir  host videos of child torture, images of children with aggressive animals and of children taking nude selfies etc.

Way Forward

Recommendations of The ‘Ad Hoc Committee of the Rajya Sabha (2020) on Pornography and its Effect On Children And Society:

• Enlarge the scope of POCSO: Cyber grooming, advocating or counselling sexual activities with a person under 18 should be made an offence under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. 
• Take Down of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) from Internet:  Modify the IT (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2011, to make Intermediaries responsible to pro-actively identify and remove Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) as well as report it to Indian authorities under the National Cybercrime Portal. 
• Monitor Children’s Access to Pornographic Content: The MeitY should mandate existing screen-monitoring apps or encourage industry partnerships to develop it like the Google’s Family Link App and made freely available to ISPs, companies, schools and parents. 
• A nodal Agency for Child Pornography: National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) should be designated as the nodal agency to deal with the issue of child pornography with added responsibilities of investigation, cyber policing and prosecution.
• International Cooperation: India should sign mutual agreements with other countries for sharing information in dark web investigations and fast-track requests for the take down of online content under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.
• Education and Awareness: Digital Safety Education should be included in school curriculum and also through workshops for the parents etc. Children should be made more aware of their bodies and rights  via sex education 
• Monitor Dark Web: A cyber-crime investigative agency needs to be set up in India, especially to monitor the dark web, as it is where a significant chunk of porn is being viewed.
  • Example: On specialised encrypted search engines like Onion Land, a search for ‘child porn’ throws up over 130 website links, and a search for ‘child porn India’ around 50.

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