November 22, 2020

MOST IMPORTANT ARTICLES OF THE

DAY – 22/11/2020
Ayurveda PGs will perform surgeries soon
Postgraduate students in Ayurveda will now be trained and allowed to perform a variety of general
surgery, ENT, ophthalmology, and dental procedures. The decision comes after the Central Council of
Indian Medicine (CCIM) amended the Indian Medicine Central Council (Post Graduate Ayurveda
Education) Regulations, 2016, to include the regulation to allow PG students of Ayurveda to practise
general surgery.

“The CCIM, with the previous sanction of the Central Government, makes the following regulations to
amend the Indian Medicine Central Council (Post Graduate Ayurveda Education) Regulations, 2016,” the
notification said. The Act has been renamed Indian Medicine Central Council (Post Graduate Ayurveda
Education) Amendment Regulations, 2020.

The notification, issued on November 19, states that students will be trained in two streams of surgery
and would be awarded titles of MS (Ayurved) Shalya Tantra — (General Surgery and MS (Ayurved)
Shalakya Tantra (Disease of Eye, Ear, Nose, Throat, Head and Oro-Dentistry).

The list of procedures that will be taught include — all types of skin grafting, ear lobe repair, excision of
simple cyst and benign tumours (lipoma, fibroma, schwannoma, etc.) of non-vital organs,
excision/amputation of gangrene, traumatic wound management — all types of suturing, ligation and
repair of tendon and muscles, foreign body removal from stomach, colostomy, cataract surgery, local
anesthesia in the eye, rhinoplasty, hair lip repair, loose tooth extraction, carries tooth/teeth, root canal
treatment.

The Indian Medical Association has been opposing the Centre’s move to allow traditional systems of
Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) to offer allopathic
therapies and treatment.

IMA in its release on Saturday has demanded the withdrawal of the order. It added that “corrupting
modern medicine by mixing with other systems and poaching the disciplines of modern medicine
through back door means is foul play”.

Parliamentary panel bats for laws to counter bio-terrorism

Low testing, poor contact tracing responsible for spike in COVID-19 cases: report

Formulating effective laws to counter bio-terrorism is one of the important lessons to be learnt from the
COVID-19 pandemic, a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health has said in a report, “The Outbreak
of Pandemic COVID-19 And its Management.”

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Among other things, the report said low testing and shoddy contact tracing were responsible for the
spike in cases.

The committee, headed by Samajwadi Party MP Ramgopal Yadav, submitted its report to the Rajya
Sabha Chairman on Saturday.

Strategic partnerships

“The adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have taught the lesson on the importance of controlling
biological agents and the need for strategic partnerships among different nations. The committee,
therefore, feels that the present time is the most appropriate for the government to formulate effective
laws to counter bio-terrorism,” the report said.

This conclusion is based on the deliberations that the committee had with the Department of Health and
Family Welfare, which submitted a seven-point action plan that is needed to ensure security against
biological weapons.

These include “strengthening disease surveillance, including at animal-human interface, training and
capacity building for management of public health emergencies arising from use of bio-weapons and
strengthening research and surveillance activities related to development of diagnostics, vaccines and
drugs”.

The report has suggested that the Health Ministry should engage with agencies and actively participate
in ongoing international treaties.

Capacity building

“The committee strongly recommends the Ministry to conduct more research and work towards training
and capacity building for management of public health emergencies arising from the use of bio-
weapons,” the report said.

The report did not explicitly state that the COVID-19 virus was a bio-weapon.

The international scientific community has also repeatedly debunked the conspiracy theory that the
COVID-19 virus was developed as a bio-weapon.

The standing committee report blamed “poor contact tracing and slow testing” for the alarming rise of
positive cases in the first few months of the pandemic.

The plethora of guidelines issued by the Health Ministry caused confusion and chaos, the report noted.
Many of these guidelines were contradictory and different quarantine rules imposed by the State
governments added to the panic, the report said.

The committee has also pulled up the Union Health Ministry for “grossly inadequate” number of
hospital beds in government hospitals. Citing an example, the report said, “The committee is pained to
observe that in RML Hospital, out of 1,572 beds, only 242 were dedicated COVID-19 beds whereas in

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Safdarjung Hospital, out of 2,873 beds, only 289 were reserved for COVID-19 patients. The committee
fails to understand the rationale behind the miniscule number of beds reserved for COVID-19 patients in
the Central government hospitals, especially at a time when the number of patients was increasing
rapidly in the capital city.” Since the demand for oxygen cylinders has reported an exponential increase,
the committee has strongly advocated that necessary measures be taken to cap their price.

NGT directs States, UTs to set up nodal agencies to protect, restore

waterbodies
Following a plea seeking identification, protection and restoration of waterbodies in Gurugram, the
National Green Tribunal (NGT) has expanded the scope of the petition and directed all States and Union
Territories to designate a nodal agency under respective chief secretaries within a month.

A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the nodal agencies to convene
a meeting by January 31 to “take stock of the situation” and plan further steps, including directions to
district authorities for further course of action. It also directed the nodal agencies to evolve a monitoring
and grievance redressal mechanism.

Taking note of a report furnished by the Central Pollution Control Board on rainwater harvesting, the
Bench observed, “It appears that the CPCB has not appreciated the direction of this Tribunal on the
subject.”

Stating that there was a need for “continuous planning and monitoring” at the national, State and
district levels, the panel observed that observations of the CPCB and an oversight committee needed to
be acted upon.

‘Remdesivir is no magic bullet but it has its uses’

Doctor warns that there are many logistic, efficacy issues

Debate still on: The WHO has advised against the use of remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19. AFP

Many doctors who have been treating COVID-19 patients in India say that remdesivir is no magic bullet
but it may still have its uses. The World Health Organisation has recently been advising against the use
of remdesivir, which is listed as experimental therapy for COVID-19 by the Health Ministry.

The doctors said that to read the WHO recommendation as a strict do or do-not-do might be a
“misinterpretation of the evidence”.

Neeraj Nischal, associate professor in the Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical
Sciences (AIIMS), said, “The final decision (to use or avoid the drug) should be done after discussion with
the patient. They should be given facts about the relative lack of benefit of the drug on the ultimate
survival.”

Dr. Nischal noted that remdesivir, which was initially developed for use in the treatment of ebola and
hepatitis C was found to be a promising candidate for COVID-19 through in vitro studies. “There has

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been a lot of hype regarding remdesivir since the start of pandemic. It was hyped so much that it was
seen as a magic bullet by the general public. The medical community, however, was reserved in judging
its effect and utility barring any evidence for its use. However, the drug eventually became the drug of
choice for COVID-19 treatment, not due to its efficacy, but mainly through its popularity. This frenzy put
social pressure on doctors for its use in even mild disease. This has led to indiscriminate use of this
drug,” he said.

Expensive drug

The doctor warned that there are many logistic and efficacy issues with remdesivir.

“It is an expensive drug requiring IV administration, and the timing and duration of therapy are still fairly
unknown. The side effect profile of the drug has also been largely unknown and there are chances that
some of its side effects may have been wrongly attributed to COVID-19,” he said.

The Health Ministry on its part has been advising against the wide and indiscriminate use of
experimental therapies such as remdesivir and plasma therapy.

Rajesh Malhotra, head, Trauma Centre, AIIMS, notes that there are several reasons why hospitals are
still using the drug. “Certain trials have shown that remdesivir reduces the time needed for recovery and
they showed improvement in patients needing low flow oxygen. We are using remdesivir in early stages
of the disease and have had good results with minimum side effects. But we cannot attribute it to
remdesivir alone, as all these patients are candidates for and received steroids as well. Even we believe
that it may not be of much use once disease has advanced in severity,” he said.

A.S. Soin, chief hepatobiliary and liver transplant surgeon of Medanta, said, “This is no silver bullet and
yes it is widely used. But we cannot blindly take in or give up any drug or therapy right now in a dynamic
situation like this unfolding pandemic.”

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry on Saturday said that India has conducted 10,66,022 COVID-19 tests in
the last 24 hours, which has increased India’s total cumulative tests to 13,06,57,808.

Also in the last 24 hours, 46,232 persons were found to be infected with COVID-19 while 49,715 new
recoveries were registered during the same period. Maharashtra, Delhi and West Bengal have registered
the maximum number of fatalities in 24 hours.

U.S., Taiwan step up economic partnership

The U.S. and Taiwan are stepping up cooperation in a newly created economic dialogue, in another
move from the outgoing Trump administration to increase official exchanges with the self-ruled island.

The two sides signed a five-year agreement establishing the U.S.-Taiwan Economic Prosperity
Partnership Dialogue, which is meant to be held annually. The deal falls short of a long-desired bilateral
trade agreement, but is a significant step that increases ties between Washington and Taipei.

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China, which views Taiwan as its own territory to be reunited by force if necessary, has criticized such
steps as provocation.

“The U.S.-Taiwan economic dialogue signifies that not only is the United States-Taiwan economic
relationship strong, but it continues to deepen and grow,” said Brent Christensen, director of the
American Institute in Taipei, the de-facto embassy.

Taiwan and the U.S. do not have a free trade agreement. However, Taiwan in August announced the
easing of restrictions on imports of American beef and pork, lowering a trade barrier for U.S. businesses
that is expected to pave the way for further trade negotiations.

U.S. trade with Taiwan totalled an estimated $103.9 billion in 2019, according to the latest figures from
the U.S. Trade Representative’s office.

The dialogue addressed areas of further cooperation, such as the State Department’s new Clean
Network project and 5G security, semiconductors, as well as investment screening and science and
technology.

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu called the dialogue an “important milestone” and “the highest
level regular economic dialogue between the U.S. and Taiwan.”

HC upholds life term for murder

It rejects defence of ‘sudden provocation’ from youth who stabbed a girl

Sudden provocation is no defence when it robs a woman of dignity, the Karnataka High Court said.

The Karnataka High Court upheld a 2016 trial court verdict of life imprisonment for a youth who had
stabbed a girl to death at her home after she declined his proposal.

Rejecting the convict’s plea for leniency that he had stabbed the victim after “grave and sudden
provocation” after she rejected his proposal the court said agreeing to his claim will have the “effect of
robbing the victim of her right to express her choice”.

“In other words, the defence of ‘grave and sudden provocation’ shall not avail an accused if the result of
permitting such a defence is to dehumanise the person of victim, stultify her individual autonomy,
agency and dignity,” the court held.

A Division Bench, comprising Justice S. Sunil Dutt Yadav and Justice P. Krishna Bhat, delivered the verdict
while upholding a trial court’s 2016 order of convicting Vijay alias Vijendra, a resident of Javalaga in
Aland taluk of Kalaburagi district, and sentencing him to life imprisonment.

The convict, who was a B.Ed. student, stabbed Pushpa, 18, at her house in the presence of another
woman in 2009.

The Bench noted that Vijay had gone to Pushpa’s house with a knife, imposed himself upon her to marry
him, and on her refusal, stabbed her.

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Asserting domain

“In other words, he was trying to assert some kind of domain over her only because he was a male and
he was unwilling to reconcile to the situation that victim as a woman could rebuff the same and assert
her individual autonomy and agency to take a decision on the choice of her life partner,” the Bench
observed.

In such a situation, the Bench said, it is completely absurd to contend that there was ‘grave and sudden
provocation’ from the side of the victim especially when, while she was rejecting the proposal what she
was essentially doing was asserting her individual autonomy, which was entirely legitimate for her to do.

The Bench also observed that to permit him to take a defence of ‘grave and sudden provocation,’ in the
facts and circumstances of this case, apart from being “obnoxious”, will result in negation of the
fundamental rights of the victim under Articles 14, 19 (1) (a) and 21 of the Constitution of India.

“He betrayed utter disdain to the inherent right of victim as a human; to her individual autonomy to
choose who to love and to her right to choose a husband and even, to defer to the wishes of her parents
in matters of significance in her life, which in itself is a conscious ‘choice’,” the Bench said.

Explained: What is the Sentinel-6 satellite and why is it important?

Data from satellites such as Sentinel-6 help scientists foresee the effects of the changing oceans on the
climate.

The Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite, designed to monitor oceans, was launched from the
Vandenberg Air Force base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on November 21.

This is a part of the next mission dedicated to measuring changes in the global sea level. Other satellites
that have been launched since 1992 to track changes in the oceans on a global scale include the
TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1 and OSTN/Jason-2, among others.

The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite has been named after Dr. Michael Freilich, who was the Director
of NASA’s Earth Science Division from 2006-2019 and passed away in August this year.

What is the mission?

The mission, called the Jason Continuity of Service (Jason-CS) mission, is designed to measure the height
of the ocean, which is a key component in understanding how the Earth’s climate is changing. The
spacecraft consists of two satellites, one of them launched on Saturday, and the other, called Sentinel-
6B, to be launched in 2025.

It has been developed jointly by the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA, European Organisation for the
Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat), the USA’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) and the EU, with contributions from France’s National Centre for Space Studies
(CNES).

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What will the satellite do?

According to NASA, the satellite will ensure the continuity of sea-level observations into the fourth
decade and will provide measurements of global sea-level rise.

Since 1992, high-precision satellite altimeters have helped scientists understand how the ocean stores
and distributes heat, water and carbon in the climate system.

Essentially, the satellite will send pulses to the Earth’s surface and measure how long they take to return
to it, which will help scientists measure the sea surface height. It will also measure water vapour along
this path and find its position using GPS and ground-based lasers.

Further, the data it collects will support operational oceanography, by providing improved forecasts of
ocean currents, wind and wave conditions. This data will allow improvements in both short-term
forecasting for weather predictions in the two-to-four-week range (hurricane intensity predictions), and
long-term forecasting, for instance for seasonal conditions like El Niño and La Niña.

Why is it important to measure the height of the ocean?

As per NASA, it is possible to observe the height of the oceans on a global scale and monitor critical
changes in ocean currents and heat storage only from space. Data from satellites such as Sentinel-6 help
scientists foresee the effects of the changing oceans on the climate.

Further, in order to measure and track changes in the oceanic heat budget, scientists need to know the
ocean currents and heat storage of the oceans, which can be determined from the height of the sea
surface.

Explained: Why has Tamil Nadu banned online games?

In the ordinance banning the game, the Governor said that due to online gaming, innocent people,
mainly youngsters, are being cheated, and some people have committed suicide.

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit Friday promulgated an ordinance that banned online gaming in
the state , with a fine up to Rs 5,000 and imprisonment of up to six months.

What constitutes online games and gambling?

The earliest versions of community-based games were gaming arcades, which were very popular in the
US and Japan in the early 1990s. These arcades required the gamer to buy in-game time with some
chips. From the arcade, the games moved to house consoles, and then further to personal computers.

With the invention of the internet and the arrival of connectivity on personal computers, these
multiplayer games saw players hosting gaming parties using local area networks.

With the arrival of affordable internet, all the arcade-based multiplayer games moved online. These
days, though nearly all games are played online when the user connects their device to a central server
hosted by the gaming company, most of them are free and meant only for entertainment.

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Multiplayer games such as Defense of the Ancients or Dota, Players Unknown’s Battleground or PUBG,
Counter-Strike (CS) though free for most users, give the option of buying in-game additions to the
player’s avatar. Other multiplayer card games such as Rummy, Blackjack, and Poker require the user to
invest some money to enter the game to play with other players across the globe.

Why has Tamil Nadu banned online games?

In the ordinance banning the game, the Governor said that due to online gaming, innocent people,
mainly youngsters, are being cheated, and some people have committed suicide. The state has thus
decided to ban online gaming to “avoid such incidents of suicide and protect the innocent people from
the evils of online gaming”.

Any form of wagering or betting in cyberspace by using computers or any other communication device,
common gaming houses, and any electronic transfer of funds to distribute winnings or prize money has
also been banned.

This effectively means that players in the state will not be able to purchase any add-on for the games
they play, go to gaming arcades or participate in online gaming tournaments. Some multiplayer games
such as Counter-Strike host weekly tournaments with a buy-in of up to Rs 10,000.

While there has been some debate on whether online games are a matter of pure luck or skill, the
arrival of money has further complicated matters. Most adversaries of online games and gambling have
said that since there are no regulations, most players end up spending a lot of money for buy-in in these
games.

Critics have also said that since these games are also played by kids of all ages, the lack of money to buy
these add-on puts different kinds of peer pressure leading to unpleasant circumstances.

Which other states have banned online games and gambling?

While gambling and betting as a sport are banned across the country, nearly ten states in India such as
Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Kerala, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Sikkim and West
Bengal have their lottery systems. These lotteries have very strict controls over the number of tickets
printed and the prize money distributed.

Most states, however, are opposed to online gambling or betting as there are very few regulations to
control the number of players and the investment that can be made in the game. By banning online
games and gambling, Tamil Nadu joined its neighbours Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in banning some
forms of online games and gambling. The state’s neighbour on the other side, Karnataka, also has been
mulling a law to ban online games and gaming.

Explained: What is regional navigation satellite system or IRNSS that India is

4th nation to have
The navigation system can now replace GPS in the Indian Ocean waters upto 1500 km from the Indian
boundary.

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On November 11, India became the fourth country in the world to have its independent regional
navigation satellite system recognised by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as a part of the
World Wide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS).

The navigation system can now replace GPS in the Indian Ocean waters upto 1500 km from the Indian
boundary. The process of getting the recognition for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System
based on satellites of the Indian Space Research Organisation took about two years. Merchant vessels in
Indian waters can now use the “modern and more accurate” system as an alternative navigation
module, said Director General of Shipping, Amitabh Kumar.

What is the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System?

The IRNSS is an independent regional navigation satellite system developed by India. It is designed to
provide accurate position information service to assist in the navigation of ships in the Indian Ocean
waters. It could replace the US-owned Global Positioning System (GPS) in the Indian Ocean extending up
to approximately 1500 km from the Indian boundary

What does the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) recognition of the IRNSS mean?

The IMO is the United Nations’ specialised agency responsible for the safety and security of shipping and
the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships. The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of
the IMO recognised the IRNSS as a component of the World-wide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS)
during its 102nd session held virtually from November 4 to November 11. With the recognition as a
component of the of the WWRNS, the Indian navigation system is similarly placed as GPS, most
commonly used by marine shipping vessels across the world or the Russian Global Navigation Satellite
System (GLONASS). After the US, Russia and China that have their own navigation systems, India has
become the fourth country to have its independent regional navigation system. Unlike GPS, however,
IRNSS is a regional and not a global navigation system. According to the Directorate General of Shipping
under the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, this is also a “significant achievement”
towards the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.

Who can make use of the IRNSS?

While the system will be open to all including security agencies, officials of the Directorate General of
Shipping said as of now, all merchant vessels including small fishing vessels are authorised to use the
system. Vessels that have transponders installed in them will be tracked by satellite navigation showing
accurate position in the Indian Ocean region. According to Director General of Shipping Amitabh Kumar,
at any given time, there are at least 2,500 merchant vessels in Indian waters that can all use the IRNSS.
The IRNSS, he said, is a modern and more accurate system of navigation. The system is based on the
Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) satellites that are used for navigation.

Why was it necessary for India to have its own navigation system?

Kumar said an overdependence on one system (GPS) cannot be safe. The IMO, he said, had encouraged
countries to design their own navigation systems. The recognition accorded to IRNSS was in the process

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for two years. Details of the tests carried out on merchant ships with regard to the accuracy of the
system were included in the report prepared by ISRO which was submitted to IMO for consideration.
After a detailed analysis, the sub-committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue
(NCSR) of the IMO, during its 7th session held in January 2020, recommended to the MSC of IMO that it
accepts the IRNSS as a component of the WWRNS. The recognition was accorded earlier this month. The
IMO issued a circular on November 11 announcing the recognition of the IRNSS to its member states.

Explained: How to read the drop in diesel consumption in November

Diesel consumption is a key indicator of economic activity since it is used not only as a transportation
fuel but also for industrial and agricultural activity. We examine what this change reflects and if diesel
sales are trending downwards again.

The consumption of both diesel and petrol crashed when the government imposed travel restriction
across the country on March 25 to curb the spread of Covid 19.

Diesel consumption in the first half of November fell 5% year-on-year after growing in October for the
first time since before the Covid-19 pandemic related travel restrictions were imposed in March. Diesel
consumption is a key indicator of economic activity since it is used not only as a transportation fuel but
also for industrial and agricultural activity. We examine what this change reflects and if diesel sales are
trending downwards again.

What has the trend of petrol and diesel consumption been since Covid-19 and related lockdowns?

The consumption of both diesel and petrol crashed when the government imposed travel restriction
across the country on March 25 to curb the spread of Covid 19. Diesel and petrol consumption crashed
by 56% and 60% respectively in April. The sales of both petrol and diesel recovered as lockdown
restrictions were eased with diesel sales in June falling only 15% short of diesel sales in the year ago
period. However, increased restrictions on movement imposed by state governments in July pushed
back the recovery in diesel consumption which remained 20% below Pre-Covid levels in July and August.

Diesel consumption recovered to just 6% below year ago levels in September while petrol consumption
grew year-on-year by 3.3 % with people increasingly opting for personal mobility even in cases where
public transportation was available. Diesel sales posted a growth of 7.4% in October compared to the
year ago period, marking October as the first month witnessing growth in diesel consumption since the
national lockdown in March.

Does the fall in diesel consumption November indicate a reversal of the growth trend?

The fall in diesel consumption in the first half of November doesn’t indicate a reversal in the move of
diesel consumption to pre-Covid levels, according to analysts, who noted that it may be a result of an
unusual pattern of diesel consumption around the festive season. Experts noted that there is increased
consumption of diesel in the weeks leading up to the festive season which then reduces during the
festive period itself which may have brought down consumptions for early November.

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An analyst who did not wish to be quoted said that this change was too minor to draw any long-term
inferences and said that petrol and diesel consumption had both largely reached pre-Covid levels. He
noted however that any consistent growth in diesel sales beyond current levels would require a general
increase in economic activity in the country.

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Federal Water Governance– EXPLAINED

Recently, two bills related to water governance were passed by the Lok Sabha viz. the Interstate River
Water Disputes Amendment Bill 2019 and the Dam Safety Bill 2019. These bills seek to deal with the
emerging challenges of inter-state water governance in India.

The Interstate River Water Disputes Amendment Bill 2019 seeks to improve the inter-state water
disputes resolution by setting up a permanent tribunal supported by a deliberative mechanism the
dispute resolution committee.

The Dam Safety Bill 2019 aims to deal with the risks of India’s ageing dams, with the help of a
comprehensive federal institutional framework comprising committees and authorities for dam safety at
national and state levels.

However, the agenda of future federal water governance is not limited to these issues alone. These
include emerging concerns of long-term national water security and sustainability, the risks of climate
change, and the growing environmental challenges, including river pollution.

Therefore, these challenges need systematic federal response where the Centre and the states need to
work in a partnership model.

Challenges in Water Governance

▪ Federal Issue: Water governance in India is perceived and practised as the states’ exclusive
domain. However, their powers are subject to those of the Union under Entry 56 about inter-state
river water governance.

o Combined with the states’ dominant executive power, these conditions create challenges
for federal water governance.

o Further, the River Boards Act 1956 legislated under Entry 56. However, till this date, no
river board was ever created under the law.

▪ Water Knows No political Boundaries: Owing to different jurisdiction and control of states, the
interconnectedness of surface and groundwater systems resulted in fragmented surface and
groundwater policies.

o Also, due to this, data availability in India is currently fragmented, scattered across
multiple agencies, and inadequate for sound decision-making.

o Moreover, data gaps exist on the interconnectivity of rainwater, surface water, and
groundwater, land use, environmental flows, ecosystems, socio-economic parameters,
and demographics at the watershed level.

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Need For Cooperative Federalism
▪ Looming Water Crisis: A NITI Aayog report held that 21 major cities are expected to run out of
groundwater as soon as 2020 which may affect nearly 100 million people.

o Moreover, the 2030 Water Resources Group projects a 50% gap between water demand
and water supply in India by 2030.

o Therefore, in order to address the over-abstraction and overuse of water in multiple

geographies, there is a need for the concerted effort of centre and state governments.

▪ Pursuing National Projects: Greater centre-states coordination is also crucial for pursuing the
current national projects like Ganga river rejuvenation or inland navigation or inter-basin
transfers.

o Also, the latest centrally sponsored scheme (CSS), Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), envisages
achieving universal access to safe and secure drinking water in rural areas, which
otherwise is a domain of the states.

Way Forward
▪ Centre-States Dialogue: The Centre can work with the states in building a credible institutional
architecture for gathering data and producing knowledge about water resources.

o In this context, JJM presents an opportunity to get states on board for a dialogue towards
stronger Centre-states coordination and federal water governance ecosystem.

o The dialogue can consider the long-recommended idea of distributing responsibilities and
partnership-building between the Centre and states, like centre can build a credible
institutional architecture for gathering data and states can improve the delivery of this
essential service to its populations.

▪ Multi-Stakeholder Approach: In view of multiple stakeholders ( farmers, urban communities,

industry and government) influencing and affected by water flows, and governance framework
should strive to achieve joint decision-making.

o In this context, the establishment of stakeholder councils can help to a large extent.

▪ Implementing Mihir Shah Committee Recommendations: There is a need to carry out some
essential reforms as recommended by Mihir Shah committee. For example,

o Merging Central Water Commission and the Central Ground Water Board into one
National Water Commission which would cover both groundwater and surface water
issues.

Conclusion
Water governance is widely acknowledged as an important factor for sustainable development. Thus, a
concerted effort of all stakeholders is required for resolving conflicts and developing a shared vision for

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the use of water resources to support economic growth, social development and environmental
protection.

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ONE-LINER NEWS
1. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has released the report “Averting a lost Covid
generation”, which highlights significant and growing consequences of Covid-19 on children. It is
the first UNICEF report to comprehensively outline the dire and growing consequences for
children as the pandemic goes on. It shows that while symptoms among infected children remain
mild, infections are rising and the longer-term impact on the education, nutrition and well-being
of an entire generation of children and young people can be life-altering.
2. The World Fisheries Day is observed on the 21st November every year. On the occasion of the
World Fisheries Day, for the first time in the Fisheries Sector, the Government of India will award
best performing States. It was started in the year 1997 when “World Forum of Fish Harvesters &
Fish Workers” met at New Delhi leading to formation of “World Fisheries Forum” with
representatives from 18 countries and signed a declaration advocating for a global mandate of
sustainable fishing practices and policies.
3. A virtual meeting of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum was held.
The meeting was hosted by Malaysia. New Zealand will also host next year's APEC meetings
virtually due to the pandemic. With growth in the Asia-Pacific region expected to decline by 2.7%
this year, from a 3.6% growth in 2019, APEC's focus was on accelerating economic recovery and
developing an affordable vaccine.
4. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has, for the first time, approved a research study on ‘status
of radicalisation’ in the country. Study will be conducted by G.S. Bajpai, Director of the Centre for
Criminology and Victimology, National Law University, Delhi. The study will attempt to legally
define ‘radicalisation’ and suggest amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
5. Recently, the 30th edition of India-Thailand Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) has been concluded in
the Andaman Sea close to the Strait of Malacca. Naval Exercise: India and Thailand have been
carrying out CORPAT along their International Maritime Boundary Line twice a year since 2005.

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