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Nov 22 2023

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Tapping Technology To Check Minor Mineral Plunder

November 22, 2023

Context:

  • This article is based on an Editorial “Tapping technology to check minor mineral plunder” which was published in The Hindu. With the increase in the pace of development, the demand for minor minerals such as sand and gravel has crossed 60 million metric tons in India. 
Relevancy for Prelims: Minor Minerals.

Relevancy for Mains: Minor Minerals in India, its Associated Concerns and various studies and the Way Forward.

Associated Laws and Regulations for Minor Minerals Industry in India:

  • Power to Regulation: The regulatory and administrative powers to frame rules, prescribe rates of royalty, mineral concessions, enforcement, etc. are entrusted to the State governments.
  • The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA): The earlier EIA Notifications of 1994 and 2006 made environmental clearance compulsory for mining in areas more than or equal to five hectares. 
    • Later, the EIA was amended in 2016 which made environmental clearance mandatory for mining in areas less than five hectares, including minor minerals. 
    • The amendment also provided for the setting up of a District Environment Impact Assessment Authority (EIAA) and a District Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC).
Minor minerals 

  • Minor minerals have been defined in Section 3 of the mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act, 1957 and comprise mostly such minerals that are locally available and have local use. These are not used in any major industries. 
  • Most of the building and construction materials fall in this category.

Illegal Mining of Minor Minerals in India and the Associated Concerns

  • High Extraction: It becomes the second largest extractive industry on the planet, after water. 
  • Illegal Mining: The rampant and illegal mining of minor minerals continues unabated.
  • Irregularities in the Illegal Mining of Minor Minerals: A State-wise review of EACs and EIAAs in many states shows that the rejection rate of project proposals is mere 1%, which raises a question on elimination of irregularities in the illegal mining.
  • Under-Estimation of the Problem of Illegal Mining of Minor Minerals: There have been numerous cases of the illegal mining of dolomite, marble and sand across States.
  • Example: In Andhra Pradesh’s Konanki limestone quarries alone, 28.92 lakh metric tonnes of limestone have been illegally quarried. 
  • Observations by the United Nations Environment Programme, in 2019: In India and China, illegal sand mining has led to sweeping environmental degradation. 
    • No Assessment: Despite this, there is no comprehensive assessment available to evaluate the scale of sand mining in India. 
  • Regional studies by the Centre for Science and Environment: The study of the Yamuna riverbed in Uttar Pradesh have observed that increasing demand for soil has severely affected:
    • Soil formation and the soil holding ability of the land
    • Leading to a loss in marine life
    • An increase in flood frequency and droughts
    • Degradation of water quality
    • Study of the Narmada Basin: Sand mining has reduced the population of Mahseer fish from 76% between 1963 and 2015.

minor minerals

  • Losses to the State Exchequer: As per an estimate, U.P. is losing revenue from 70% of mining activities as only 30% area is legally mined. 
    • Similarly, the absence of royalty has caused a loss of ₹700 crore in Bihar.
  • Negligence of Judicial Orders: Judicial orders are often neglected by State governments. 
    • For instance, as in the report of the Oversight Committee by the National Green Tribunal, U.P. has either failed or only partially complied with orders issued regarding compensation for illegal sand mining. 
    • The same is observed in States such as West Bengal, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh too.
    • Reasons behind such non-Compliance: 
      • Malfunction of governance due to weak institutions
      • A scarcity of state resources to ensure enforcement
      • Poorly drafted regulatory provisions 
      • Inadequate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms 
      • Excessive litigation that dampens state administrative capacity

Navigating the Future: Technology-Driven Solutions for Sustainable Management of Minor Minerals

  • Protecting minor minerals requires investment in production and consumption measurement.
  • Need of monitoring and planning tools. 
  • A robust technology-driven enforcement approach is required.
    • Drones, the internet of things (IoT) and blockchain technology can be used to monitor mechanisms by using Global Positioning System, radar and Radio Frequency (RF) Locator.

 

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The Impact Of Climate Change On Health

November 22, 2023

Context:

Relevancy for Prelims: COP28.

Relevancy for Mains: Impact of Climate Change on Health, Associated Challenges and the Way Forward.

Impact of Climate Change on Health: Heatwaves, Cyclones, and Rising Temperatures

  • Health Impacts: Climate change directly causes more sickness and death.
    • It also indirectly affects nutrition, reduces working hours, and increases stress.
  • Rising Temperatures: The global agreement aimed to limit the rise in temperature to 1.5°C, but in 2023, the world experienced the highest temperatures ever recorded.
  • Climate Induced-Stress: More extreme climate events like heat waves, cyclones, and floods are expected, affecting food security, livelihoods, and health.

India’s Double Health Burden: Climate Change, Urbanization, and Emerging Health Challenges

  • Impact of Climate Change on Health: India already faces health challenges from both communicable and non-communicable diseases. Climate change could worsen this by influencing the growth of disease-carrying vectors (like mosquitoes) and changing infection patterns.
  • Non-Communicable Diseases: Climate change can impact non-communicable diseases (like kidney injuries and pulmonary diseases).
  • Mental Health: Climate change can impact mental health (like depression, aggravated by stress generated by the change in weather conditions, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder invariably accompany a climate emergency).
    • These are rarely recognised in India, much less addressed.
  • Urbanization Challenges: India’s rapid, unplanned urbanization contributes to health challenges.
    • Urban areas, with their lack of green spaces and heat-retaining structures, face the worst effects.
    • Urban areas suffer from the “urban heat island effect,” making them warmer, especially at night.
    • Epidemics commonly occur after floods, but extended warm periods also promote the proliferation of water and food-borne pathogens and diseases.

Impact of Climate Change on Health

Way Forward: Understanding to Action in Mitigating Climate Change’s Impact on Health

  • Better Understanding: Understanding of climate change impacts is crucial for taking action.
  • Better Planning: Social support, improved health services, and upstream interventions like better urban planning are necessary to reduce the impact.
  • Action at all Levels: Addressing climate change’s impact on health requires action at global, regional, and local levels. 
    • Researchers must provide policy options, and governments need to decide and act on these options.
    • National, State, and local governments have to decide to act on the policy options that have been generated by research. 

Conclusion:

India has to recognise climate change and its impact on health as a problem that can be and needs to be addressed. Meaningful change in dealing with climate change and its impact on health will happen when there is a collective effort involving problem understanding, policy options, and political decision- making. 

 

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Rise of Illegal Drug Market in the World Capitalism: How It Corrupts Democracy?

November 22, 2023

Context:

  • This article is based on an Editorial “How capitalism corrupts democracy” which was published in The Tribune. As per Economist expert, Arun Maira, drugs of fentanyl’s ilk currently kill around 70,000 Americans a year, more than (those who) died in the wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan combined due to growing  Illegal Drug Market in America. 
Relevancy for Prelims: Rise of Drugs in the World and the Impact of Capitalism on Democracy,  Illegal Drug Market

Illegal Drug Market in America – Associated Concerns

  • Xylazine: A drug commonly used as a tranquilizer (a sedative) for animals like cows and horses. It has made its way into the illegal drug market in the U.S., particularly in drugs like fentanyl.
    • It was synthesized in Belgium in 1959 as a legal painkiller. 
  • Fentanyl: A powerful synthetic opioid, used legitimately for pain management. Illegally produced fentanyl, often mixed with other substances, has become a significant public health concern due to its potency and the increased risk of overdoses.
  • Combination of Xylazine and Fentanyl: A dangerous combination that enhances the life-threatening effects of respiratory depression caused by opioids like fentanyl, increasing the risk of overdose and death.
  • High Usage: From the 1990s, doctors in the US prescribed painkillers unnecessarily, incentivised by unethical pharmaceutical firms. By 2015, some 227 million prescriptions for opioids were made out every year in the US, roughly one for every adult. 
    • However, in Europe due to universal medical care, there were broad restrictions unlike Americans’ use of painkillers to quickly fix the ailments.

Illegal Drug Market

Profit Over People: Capitalism, Technology, and the Erosion of Democracy in America

Corruption of Democracy through Capitalism: Science and technology are powerful instruments that are used to improve the performance of the Universe and Artificial intelligence and synthetic biology are its exciting new frontiers. 

  • Capitalism: It is the economic system in which businesses are owned and run for profit by individuals and not by the state
  • Great danger is for leaving such powerful instruments in the control of companies in any sector whose mission is to improve only profits.
    • Drugs and guns produced and sold by US companies are killing tens of thousands of American citizens. 
  • More Influence than Regulation: US capitalism is not unregulated, its pharmaceutical, health and financial sectors are heavily regulated. However, US firms have great power to influence regulations. 
    • Companies can spend large amounts of money, legally, to lobby for their interests, and fund think tanks and universities to produce ideas that support their ideology.
  • In the American version of ‘no-holds-barred’ capitalism, the business of business is business. Government regulation of business curbs innovative ways of industries from making profits. 

Building a Strong Democracy: The Imperative for Responsible Media and Government

  • Responsible Media: As a fourth pillar of democracy, the media have the responsibility to engage and educate citizens about such serious issues.
  • Responsible Government: Governments must learn to govern the economy for the benefit of all citizens. A government has to provide all citizens with healthcare and education regardless of their ability to pay. 
    • A Government must regulate the profit-seeking urges of private businesses.

 

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