Recently, Pune  reported nine more suspected cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), taking the tally in Maharashtra’s second largest city to 110

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)

• About: GBS is a rare, autoimmune neurological disorder where the immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system, leading to muscle weakness, numbness, and paralysis, often in the arms and legs.
• Causes: GBS can be triggered by either viral or bacterial pre-infections, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
  • Campylobacter jejuni, a bacterium found in contaminated food and water, has been identified as the cause of the first cluster of cases.
• Symptoms: Prior to the onset of GBS, patients exhibited symptoms of gastroenteritis, including vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. These were followed by the characteristic peripheral numbing and paralysis of GBS.
• Fatalities: One death due to suspected GBS was recorded from a patient who had visited Pune.
• Global Prevalence: GBS is reported in 1-2 cases per 100,000 population, with a higher prevalence in adult males.
• India-Specific Data: Epidemiological studies on GBS in India are scarce due to challenges in testing. However, a 1993 WHO report estimated 138 cases annually in seven major teaching hospitals, with about 75% of cases in adults.

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Investigation and Transmission

• Source of Infection: The outbreak is linked to Campylobacter jejuni, typically transmitted through contaminated food and water.
• Health Implication: This outbreak highlights weaknesses in urban health infrastructure and surveillance systems in India, allowing pathogens to breach safety measures and cause significant health issues
• Scale of the Outbreak: This may be India’s largest recorded GBS outbreak, potentially exacerbated by seasonal weather changes, which have been linked to rising GBS cases globally.
• Urban System Vulnerabilities: The outbreak underscores systemic weaknesses in urban health infrastructure and the need for stronger surveillance to detect and manage such health threats.

Treatment and Recovery

• Treatment Methods: Patients with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) are treated using plasma exchange or intravenous immunoglobulin therapy.
• Effectiveness: These treatments are most effective when administered within two weeks of the onset of symptoms, making early detection and timely treatment crucial for recovery.
• Response Efforts and Measures: In Pune, teams have been deployed to collect water samples and conduct extensive community surveillance.
  • A central team has also been sent to the affected areas to assist with management and monitoring.
• Importance of Early Detection: Prompt identification of cases and the immediate initiation of treatment are key to improving outcomes.
• Role of Local and State Governments: It is the responsibility of local and state authorities to ensure the availability of safe drinking water to all residents. 
  • Governments must regularly disseminate information on avoiding contaminated and unhygienic food to prevent further outbreaks.

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Conclusion

Timely intervention, community vigilance, and proactive governance are essential to managing the GBS outbreak and preventing future health crises.

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Recently, the Allahabad High Court annulled the marriage of a couple where the man was 12 and the woman was 9, citing violations under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006. 

Differentiation in the Minimum Age of Marriage

• PCMA vs. Majority Act: According to the PCMA, a ‘child’ is defined as a girl under 18 and a boy under 21, whereas the Majority Act, 1875, considers anyone over the age of 18 to be an adult, without distinction between men and women. 
  • A literal reading of the provisions of the PCMA suggests that both male and female parties can seek annulment before they attain 20 years of age.
• Gender-Based Age Limits: The issue arises whether the male party can annul the marriage at 23 years or 20 years due to the gender-based difference in the minimum age of marriage.

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Judicial Interpretations

• T. Sivakumar v. The Inspector of Police: The Madras High Court held that a literal interpretation of the PCMA would disadvantage males married at 20, who would not be able to annul their marriage despite marrying below the legal age. 
  • The court, therefore, interpreted the age limit for annulment for males to be 23.
• Sanjay Chaudhary Case (2024): The Allahabad High Court countered this by reasoning that a male entering into marriage after attaining the age of 18 cannot claim ignorance of the law or incapacity. 
  • Under the PCMA, a male above 18 is criminalized for marrying a female child. The court argued that a male over 18 cannot claim to have been unaware of the legal implications of such a marriage.
• Patriarchal Norms in Marriage: The Allahabad High Court noted that the difference in the minimum age of marriage stems from patriarchal notions. 
  • These ideas traditionally expect men to be older and financially responsible in a marriage, while women are seen as secondary partners and child-bearers.
• Gender Equality and Uniform Annulment Age: The Allahabad High Court opined that having the same age limit, i.e., within 20 years of age, to file a nullity petition is more aligned with the principle of gender equality. 
  • This interpretation helps to eliminate the gender-based distinctions in the law, ensuring fairness for both male and female parties involved in child marriages.
• Precedent: The Allahabad High Court followed the Supreme Court’s 2017 Independent Thought case, which allowed men to annul marriages until the age of 23.
• Annulment of Marriage: Based on this precedent, the High Court annulled the child marriage. The wife has appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.
• Independent Thought Case: The Independent Thought case focused on the constitutionality of marital rape exceptions for wives under 18, not annulment under the PCMA.
  • The  Supreme Court noted that males could annul marriages before 23, but this was not fully examined in the context of the PCMA.
• Gender Disparity: The interpretation gives men more time to annul marriages, creating a disparity where women remain unprotected. This gendered imbalance weakens the primary goal of the PCMA, which is to protect and empower women in child marriages.
• Re-evaluating Legal Age: The age difference in annulment rights reflects patriarchal views, requiring a re-examination of the legal age for marriage. 
  • The upcoming Supreme Court decision is pivotal in ensuring gender equality in the annulment process and the protection of both parties in a marriage.

Impact of Raising Marriage Age

• Intended Purpose: The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 suggested raising the legal marriage age to 21 to delay pregnancy and promote women’s education and health.
• Negative Impact: Raising the marriage age to 21 may infringe upon the rights of individuals aged 18-21, depriving them of their autonomy and dignity.
• Reducing Autonomy: Indian laws grant civil rights like voting, property ownership, and contracts at 18. Delaying marriage would blur the line between adulthood and childhood, reducing autonomy for adults aged 18-21.
• Deprivation of Rights: This change would interfere with personal rights such as life, liberty, privacy, and decisional autonomy.
• Findings from 2024 Study: A study based on 174 PCMA judgments found that nearly 49.4% of child marriages were self-initiated by the individuals involved, not forced or arranged by families. 
  • Families filed complaints in 80% of these cases, while arranged or forced marriages saw only 30.9% family involvement in reporting.
• Increased Parental Control: Raising the marriage age may limit women’s agency in choosing their partners, increasing parental control over their decisions.
• Social and Legal Consequences: Women may fear criminal consequences, leading to fewer reports of child marriages, increased arrests, family breakdowns, and higher socio-economic and health costs.

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Conclusion

Gender equality and improved maternal health can be better achieved by enhancing access to education, social security, healthcare, and comprehensive sexuality education, rather than restricting marriage rights.

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The Prime Minister recently inaugurated a direct train service to Kashmir, enhancing connectivity and boosting tourism in the region.

Recent Developments in Indian Railways

• Role of Railways: Indian Railways, the fourth-largest network in the world, plays a crucial role in India’s connectivity, progress, and unity, spanning more than 170 years of legacy.
• Inauguration of Jammu Division: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Jammu Division, addressing a significant regional demand.
  • This milestone precedes the first direct train service to Kashmir in six decades, enhancing connectivity.
• Economic Boost: The 70th railway division under Northern Railways is set to energize the region’s economy.
• New Zone: The foundation stone for the South Coast Railway Zone’s headquarters was laid, marking the 18th railway zone.
  • This zone is expected to foster growth in local sectors and boost the region’s economy.

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Strategic Decisions of Indian Railways

• Recommendations of Bibek Debroy: The recent decisions align with the 2015 Railway Reforms report by economist Bibek Debroy, which recommended empowering field officers, General Managers, and Divisional Railway Managers.
  • The government has implemented most of these suggestions, including creating a new division and zone to enhance the railways’ competitiveness.
• Gati Shakti Vishwavidalaya: The establishment of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya aims to advance infrastructure development and foster innovation in logistics, transportation, and supply chain management
• Technological Integration: Projects like Vande Bharat trains, KAVACH safety system, and the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) focus on technological advancements and safety, with a funding commitment of Rs 1.45 lakh crore,recently extended with an additional Rs 45,000 crores for 2022-23.

Challenges associated with Indian Railways and Logistics

• High Logistics Costs: India’s logistics costs are significantly higher than global standards, with an increase in efficiency required. 
  • According to the Economic Survey 2022-2023, logistics costs in India are between 14-18% of GDP, compared to a global benchmark of 8%.
• Low speed: The average speed of trains is well below global benchmarks. Superfast trains average 55 km/hr, while freight trains struggle with speeds as low as 13-15 km/hr.

Achievements of Indian Railways

• Improvement in Logistics performance: While India has jumped up the rankings on the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index from 54 in 2014 to 44 in 2018 and up to 38 in 2023, there remains a competitive gap of almost $300 billion (Rs 26 lakh crore). 
  • This is a significant improvement, as India has moved up six places from 44th in 2018 and 16 places from 54th in 2014. 
• Operational Improvement: Indian Railways has taken commendable strides in this direction through track electrification, improvement in digital logistics systems, and enhancement of freight handling. 
• Modernisation of Freight terminals: While Indian Railways has done a commendable job modernising freight terminals and expanding its freight network, there is still room for improvement to make rail transport the preferred choice for logistics.

Way Forward

• Reducing Cost:  Reduce logistics costs by increasing rail share for bulk commodities, expanding terminals, and improving last-mile connectivity.
• Freight Cost policy: A policy to protect freight customers from cross-subsidisation and improve operational cost efficiency will also be pivotal in achieving global standards. 

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• Improving Infrastructure: Improve terminal infrastructure, increase asset reliability, and reduce detentions to raise speed by 7-10 km/hr.
• Increasing Railways’ Share in Logistics: Indian Railways accounts for 27% of India’s logistics market. Increase rail’s share by making it the preferred logistics mode through competitive pricing and continuous infrastructure investments.
• Cost Effective: Consistently keep rail freight charges cost-effective compared to road transport.
• Logistics Ecosystem: With modern infrastructure and safety systems, railways play a central role in India’s logistics.
• 3 S Strategy: To maintain growth, focus on increasing Share, Speed, and reducing Service costs. This will continue to transform Indian Railways into a key enabler of connectivity and logistics, supporting India’s sustainable economic growth.

Conclusion

This progress reflects India’s efforts to enhance its logistics infrastructure, yet further action is required to bridge the remaining competitive gap.

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