📰 Alarming spread: on H1N1 cases
With H1N1 now a seasonal flu strain, care workers and others at risk must be vaccinated
•In a short span of 55 days (till February 24) this year, the number of influenza A (H1N1) cases and deaths reported from India reached an alarming 14,803 and 448, respectively. The highest numbers were from Rajasthan (3,964), Delhi (2,738) and Gujarat (2,726). Uttar Pradesh was next, with 905. While Rajasthan and Gujarat had the highest number of deaths, at 137 and 88, respectively, Delhi recorded seven deaths despite recording around the same number of cases as Gujarat. There appears to be no let-up, with the number of cases and deaths steadily rising. What is more disturbing is that the number of cases reported till February 24 is nearly the same as that recorded in the whole of 2018 (14,992). At about 450, the number of deaths till February 24 is nearly half the total reported in 2018 (1,103). The actual number of cases and deaths this year is likely to be higher as West Bengal has not reported the data to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme. Moreover, the IDSP data are based only on laboratory confirmed cases and deaths. The H1N1 virus, which caused a pandemic in 2009, has since become a seasonal flu strain globally, including in India, and causes fewer deaths. According to the WHO, in 2009 the number of laboratory confirmed deaths caused by the pandemic strain was at least 18,500. But a 2012 paper in Lancet Infectious Diseases mentioned 2,84,000 deaths, which was 15 times more than the number of laboratory confirmed deaths.
•On February 6, the Union Health Ministry had reviewed the preparedness and action taken by States to deal with influenza cases when the number of H1N1 cases and deaths stood at 6,701 and 226, respectively. Despite the number of cases and deaths more than doubling in less than 20 days since the review, the Ministry has made no additional effort to contain the spread. It has issued a guidance “recommending” vaccines for health-care workers, and deeming them “desirable” for those above 65 years of age and children between six months and eight years. Surprisingly, people with pre-existing chronic diseases, who are most susceptible to H1N1 complications according to the WHO, have been ignored — though its own statement released on February 6 had said more deaths were seen in people with diabetes and hypertension. With H1N1 becoming a seasonal flu virus strain in India even during summer, it is advisable that health-care workers and others at risk get themselves vaccinated. Despite the sharp increase in cases and deaths, the vaccine uptake has been low. Besides vaccination, there needs to be greater awareness so that people adopt precautionary measures such as frequent handwashing, and cough etiquette.
If necessary, India will use its might to protect its sovereignty, he says.
•Seventeen days after the terror strike at Pulwama in Kashmir that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel and the counter-attack on February 26 by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on a major terror camp in Pakistan’s Balakot, President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said India remained firmly committed to peace but would use its might to protect its sovereignty if the need arose.
•“I am confident that our valiant men and women in uniform will rise to the occasion. Our armed forces, exemplified by the air warriors who stand before us, reflect our firm resolve to defend our nation. This valour and professionalism was on display very recently, as the IAF carried out pre-emptive strikes on a known terrorist camp,” said Mr. Kovind at the Sulur Air Force Station, near Coimbatore.
•Mr. Kovind accorded the President’s Colours to two units of the IAF — 5 Base Repair Depot (BRD) at the Sulur Air Force Station and the Hakimpet Air Force Station in Telangana.
•The President said the IAF had been at the forefront of all humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations besides safeguarding the sovereign skies of the nation. “The resilience and tenacity displayed by our valiant air warriors is a great source of pride for the nation,” he noted.
'Make in India' campaign
•Lauding 5 BRD for its efforts towards 'Make in India' campaign, he said it epitomised its motto ‘Kaya Kalp’, complete transformation, by its expertise in overhauling the Kiran and Dornier aircraft.
•Mr. Kovind also lauded the Hakimpet Air Force Station for its contribution in the wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971. He pointed that the unit was offering quality training to women helicopter pilots from 1995 and women fighter pilots from 2016.
•The President reviewed a parade presented by 583 Air Warriors from 5 BRD and the Hakimpet Air Force Station.
•Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa and senior officers of the IAF took part in the ceremony.
•An ‘Akash Ganga’ parachute team, a ‘Sarang’ helicopter acrobatic display team, a Tejas squadron and the Air Force Band displayed their skills at the ceremony.
📰 China says it is in “close communication” with India and Pakistan to ease tensions
No confirmation on whether a Chinese special envoy will be visiting India and Pakistan.
•China on Monday reiterated that it would continue to play a “constructive role in its own way” to ease tensions between India and Pakistan.
•The Chinese foreign ministry also backed Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov’s advocacy of utilising the counter-terrorism mechanism of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to defuse ongoing military tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad.
•Asked to comment on Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s disclosure that a Chinese special envoy would be visiting Pakistan and India to help defuse the crisis, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said that China has maintained “close communication” between the two countries.
•“I have also said here that in order to alleviate the tension between India and Pakistan in the near future, China has maintained close communication with both India and Pakistan and is doing the work of persuading and promoting talks,” Mr. Lu said without confirming whether a Chinese special envoy was embarking on a visit to India and Pakistan.
•He added: “As long as it is conducive to the relaxation of the situation on both sides and is conducive to peace and stability in the region, China will continue to play a constructive role in its own way.”
•Referring to Mr. Lavrov’s suggestion on the SCO’s possible involvement, Mr. Lu said that “(Russian) foreign minister Lavrov said that he could consider using the relevant mechanism of the SCO to do some work. China’s principled position is that we encourage the relevant parties in the international community to make all constructive efforts that are conducive to promoting the relaxation of the regional situation and maintaining peace and stability in the region.”
•Under the Act, the office of a director becomes vacant in case of he or she being disqualified by an order of a court or a tribunal, among other reasons, but there is no explicit mention of an order by the SEBI.
•In a proposal, SEBI has now proposed that the Companies Act should also clearly mention that a person should vacate the office of a director if it orders his or her disqualification.
•Officials said the Finance Ministry is in agreement with the SEBI on the proposed amendment and has asked the regulator to get it approved by its board and then forward it to the Corporate Affairs Ministry.
•SEBI, in its proposal, has referred to its interim order dated January 25, 2017, through which the regulator had barred Mr. Mallya and six others from holding directorship in any listed company till further directions. The SEBI order followed a probe into alleged illegal fund diversions at United Spirits, an erstwhile firm of business group headed by Mr. Mallya, which he later sold to global liquor giant Diageo.
•However, Mr. Mallya did not comply with the order as he did not step down as a director of United Breweries Ltd. for months.
•Russia’s Tass news agency is quoting a foreign ministry statement regarding a conversation between Mr. Lavrov and his Pakistani counterpart on defusing Indo-Pak tensions.
•"Russia stressed the need for all countries to observe a provision on universal counter-terrorism conventions and cooperate for their implementation," the Russia foreign ministry said, noting the possibility of using for these goals the mechanism of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
•In response to another question on the Russian proposal, Mr. Lu said, “…I have already said that we welcome all positive measures that will help ease the current regional situation and promote regional peace and stability.”
•“In fact, the Chinese side has maintained close communication with India and Pakistan and has been doing the work of persuading and promoting talks. We are willing to continue to play such a constructive role.”
📰 Pakistan bans UNSC designated outfits; Delhi sceptical
Move comes amid intense international pressure
•Facing severe pressure from the Financial Action Task Force, and calls from a number of countries to crack down on terror groups, especially after tensions with India, the Pakistan government on Monday passed an order to effectively ban Lashkar-e Taiba (LeT) offshoots Jamat-ud Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF).
•Government sources in New Delhi, however, are sceptical about the move, given Pakistan’s attempts to ban these groups in the past, only to drop the ban over a period of time.
•The Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) passed on March 4 says all “properties owned or controlled, wholly or partly, directly or indirectly, by a designated entity or designated individual” and any income from the assets including rent would be frozen or physically seized by the Pakistani authorities.
•Islamabad said it will “streamline” the banning of groups that have been proscribed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and ensure that all entities banned by UNSC 1267 Committee in particular will have their assets frozen.
•The JuD and FiF were listed by the UNSC as aliases for the Hafiz Saeed-led Lashkar-e Taiba (LeT) that was banned in May 2005. However, Pakistan only had them on a watch list (Schedule-2) not the banned list (Schedule-1).
•Both the LeT and the Masood Azhar-led Jaish-e Mohammad (JeM) are amongst the 68 organisations presently on the list of proscribed organisations maintained by the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NATCA) of Pakistan.
•Government sources in Delhi said the Pakistani decision was part of a “decade old fraud” by Islamabad, to pass SROs that are not prosecutable in courts and do not place any liability on the government authority that doesn’t implement the orders.
•In February 2018, the Pakistani government had passed a similar order as a Presidential Ordinance, but then allowed it to lapse six months later.
•At the FATF meeting in February 2019, Pakistan was censured for not having aligned its legislative orders in line with the UNSC’s orders. The group had subsequently decided on February 22 to keep Pakistan on its grey list, with the threat it could be moved to a black list later this year.
•On February 21, even as the FATF meeting was proceeding in Paris, the Imran Khan government had passed an order banning the JuD and FiF, but the order is yet to be included in the NATCA’s latest listing that came out on Monday.
•“The two groups were already under a watch list since January 2017. What was the announcement by Pakistan government of proscribing the two groups then? They have lied to FATF and this will be brought to the notice of the observers,” said a senior government official.
•The latest order will affect JuD and FiF the most, although its remains to be seen if their activities will be curtailed in reality. The Daily Times of Pakistan reported on February 24 that the groups continue to operate with impunity in various parts of the country and in various places — the two organisations have re-branded themselves as Al Madina and Aisar Foundation.
•In the wake of the tensions between India and Pakistan after the Balakot strike by the Indian Air Force, Pakistan’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has vowed “stern action” against all militant groups. Pakistani officials, quoted widely, have also indicated that Islamabad would not object to the impending UNSC listing decision on JeM chief Masood Azhar, believed to be responsible for the Pulwama attacks, which could mean China would not veto the listing as it has in the past.
📰 Crop burning raises risk of respiratory illness threefold, says IFPRI study
Living near 100 fires a day ‘leading risk factor’ for Acute Respiratory Illness; outweighs factors like cracker burning in Diwali or high motor vehicle congestion
•The burning of agricultural residue — a contributor to north India’s winter pollution — increases the risk of respiratory illnesses threefold for those who experience it. It may also be responsible for an annual $30 billion (approximately ₹2 trillion) loss in terms of days of work lost in States affected by crop burning, according to a study by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Health records
•Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has asked the government to amend the Companies Act to ensure that a director declared by the regulator as a disqualified person should immediately vacate the position, a plea triggered by defaulter businessman Vijay Mallya’s reluctance to do so.
•Under the Act, the office of a director becomes vacant in case of he or she being disqualified by an order of a court or a tribunal, among other reasons, but there is no explicit mention of an order by the SEBI.
•In a proposal, SEBI has now proposed that the Companies Act should also clearly mention that a person should vacate the office of a director if it orders his or her disqualification.
•Officials said the Finance Ministry is in agreement with the SEBI on the proposed amendment and has asked the regulator to get it approved by its board and then forward it to the Corporate Affairs Ministry.
•SEBI, in its proposal, has referred to its interim order dated January 25, 2017, through which the regulator had barred Mr. Mallya and six others from holding directorship in any listed company till further directions. The SEBI order followed a probe into alleged illegal fund diversions at United Spirits, an erstwhile firm of business group headed by Mr. Mallya, which he later sold to global liquor giant Diageo.
•However, Mr. Mallya did not comply with the order as he did not step down as a director of United Breweries Ltd. for months.
•The findings were based on a study of the health records of 250,000 people in Haryana (which sees a spike in crop burning episodes in winter), and Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, which don’t see similar burning episodes. The study is to appear in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Epidemiology.
•Under the Act, the office of a director becomes vacant in case of he or she being disqualified by an order of a court or a tribunal, among other reasons, but there is no explicit mention of an order by the SEBI.
•In a proposal, SEBI has now proposed that the Companies Act should also clearly mention that a person should vacate the office of a director if it orders his or her disqualification.
•Officials said the Finance Ministry is in agreement with the SEBI on the proposed amendment and has asked the regulator to get it approved by its board and then forward it to the Corporate Affairs Ministry.
•SEBI, in its proposal, has referred to its interim order dated January 25, 2017, through which the regulator had barred Mr. Mallya and six others from holding directorship in any listed company till further directions. The SEBI order followed a probe into alleged illegal fund diversions at United Spirits, an erstwhile firm of business group headed by Mr. Mallya, which he later sold to global liquor giant Diageo.
•However, Mr. Mallya did not comply with the order as he did not step down as a director of United Breweries Ltd. for months.
•The findings were based on a study of the health records of 250,000 people in Haryana (which sees a spike in crop burning episodes in winter), and Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, which don’t see similar burning episodes. The study is to appear in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Epidemiology.
•The researchers used health records and satellite data from September 2013-February 2014. The satellite data was for crop-burning fires detected by the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Terra satellite, managed by the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA).
•“We found that living in an area where crop burning is practised was a leading risk factor for respiratory disease in northern India. Whereas the total burden of diseases from air pollution declined between 1990 and 2016 due to efforts to reduce the burning of solid fuel for household use, outdoor air pollution increased by 16.6%,” the researchers said in a statement.
‘Absent in South’
•In Haryana, 5.4% of surveyed individuals reported suffering from ARI (Acute Respiratory Infection) whereas the reported ARI symptoms in southern States was only 0.1%.
•Among those who reported suffering from ARI, 83% also reported receiving treatment for ARI at a private or public medical facility.
•Whereas high-intensity fire exposure was virtually absent in south India, 17.5% of individuals in Haryana lived in a district where 100 or more fires per day were observed by the satellite.
•Living in a district that saw 100 fires a day was the “leading risk factor” for ARI. These trumped factors such as cracker burning in Diwali, being a child below 5 years of age and, living in a district with high motor vehicle congestion. The study was co-authored by IFPRI’s Dr. Samuel Scott and Dr. Avinash Kishore; CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health’s Dr. Devesh Roy; University of Washington’s Suman Chakrabarti; and Oklahoma State University’s Md. Tajuddin Khan.
‘First victims’
•“Our study shows that it is not only the residents of Delhi, but also women, children and men of rural Haryana who are the first victims of crop residue burning. Much of the public discussion on the ill-effects of crop residue burning ignores this immediately affected vulnerable population,” said Dr. Kishore.
•For about a decade now, Delhi has been complaining about the practice of stubble burning, holding it responsible for the abysmal air quality in the capital in winter.
‘Zero tolerance’
•In 2013, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued a directive to Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, asking them to ban stubble burning.
•The Environment Ministers of these States as well as top officials at the Centre declared a “zero tolerance” policy on the burning of stubble, which has been estimated to contribute anywhere from 7% to 78% of the particulate matter-emission load in Delhi during winter.
📰 India to tie-up with 4 nations to save rhinos
Declaration signed to conserve and review population of Greater one-horned, Javan and Sumatran rhinos every 4 years
•India will collaborate with Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia and Malaysia to increase the population of three species of Asian rhinos, including the Greater one-horned rhinoceros found in the Indian sub-continent. The five rhino range nations signed a declaration ‘The New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019’ for the conservation and protection of the species at the recently held Second Asian Rhino Range Countries meeting here.
•During the meet, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan affirmed India’s commitment towards rhino conservation.
•The declaration was signed to conserve and review the population of the Greater one-horned, Javan and Sumatran rhinos every four years to reassess the need for joint actions to secure their future.
•“The national strategy will pave the path for long-term conservation of the Greater one-horned rhinos in India,” Mr. Vardhan said.
•The declaration includes undertaking studies on health issues of the rhinos, their potential diseases and taking necessary steps; collaborating and strengthening wildlife forensics and strengthening of transboundary collaboration among India, Nepal and Bhutan for conservation of the Greater one-horned rhino.
📰 Solar powerhouse
For residential consumers to see rooftop solar as a viable electricity option, building awareness is crucial
•In February, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved phase 2 of the grid-connected rooftop solar programme, with a focus on the residential sector. India has set an ambitious target of achieving 40 GW of rooftop solar capacity by 2022. However, while there has been progress on rooftop solar installations among industries and commercial consumers, the uptake among residential consumers has been slow.
•Urban residential electricity consumers are still hesitant to consider rooftop solar power for their homes. This is because they don’t have enough information about it, according to a 2018 study by the World Resources Institute in five cities — Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Jaipur and Nagpur.
Limited access to information
•For residential urban consumers, one of the key barriers to installing rooftop solar systems is that they do not know who to contact to understand the processes to be followed and permissions required. There is no single source to access information, evaluate benefits and disadvantages, and examine if any government support (such as a financial subsidy) is available. Most of the technical information provided by various sources, including the government, tends to be Internet-based. The study shows that less than 20% of respondents rely on the Internet to make a decision concerning rooftop solar systems. A significant majority of consumers seek face-to-face discussions and recommendations from friends and family.
•Devising simple, well-designed and creative ways to disseminate information is important to help consumers make informed decisions. Information must be made easily available to the consumers on the amount of shadow-free roof area needed for generating a unit of electricity and pricing; operating the system, after-sales maintenance and support; and reliable rooftop solar vendors.
•The local electricity linesmen, electricity inspectors, and other nodal officials in the electricity department also have key roles to play. Building their capacities to disseminate such information and handle consumer queries and concerns, and providing basic training in billing and metering for solar power can go a long way in improving consumers’ experience.
•Objective information must be put out through various avenues, so that it is accessible to all segments of the population and in local languages. Such awareness drives will reach larger audiences. Information kiosks can be set up in public institutions like banks to offer information on the technology, as well as on practical issues such as guidance on selecting vendors. A robust feedback mechanism can be put in place for consumers to share their experiences with others.
•Consumer rights groups, rooftop solar system vendors, and resident welfare associations (RWAs) in larger cities are beginning to organise campaigns and workshops to generate awareness and create a dialogue with consumers. In November 2018, for instance, the Bangalore Apartments’ Federation held a workshop on residential rooftop solar to sensitise their members. Several RWAs have initiated discussions with residents to explore collective installation of rooftop solar, starting with common facilities like lifts and water pumps.
Lessons to learn
•Since the market for residential rooftop solar power is nascent, there are opportunities to learn from more mature consumer durable markets. For example, RWAs can tie up with vendors to organise demonstration programmes, so that consumers can observe, operate and understand how the system works.
•It is important to also acknowledge that enthusiasm for rooftop solar energy largely comes from those with higher disposable incomes and who live in their own houses. This is one of the several reasons that electricity utilities are not very supportive of consumers generating their own power, as this would impact their revenues. Rooftop solar is a promising energy source for everyone, including socio-economically weaker consumers. However, awareness building sessions need to be socially inclusive and should take place during periods when consumers are likely to be at home.
•The uptake of rooftop solar across economic categories is also contingent on policies that make it more accessible and affordable. Consumer groups and development organisations have a significant role in systematically following key policies and institutional procedures and ensuring that consumers’ concerns in accessing reliable information are addressed. Raising awareness and building consumer capacity to engage with the sector are crucial for ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all and for India to achieve its rooftop solar targets.
📰 Centre to incentivise work-from-home jobs
Govt. working on scheme to offer financial support to both employers, employees in IT/ITES sector
•The government is working on a scheme to push work-from-home jobs in the IT sector by offering financial incentives to both employees and employers.
•“Incentivising work-from-home jobs through policy-level initiatives can help in creating jobs in the ITES domain while increasing the available talent pool for the sector. This will create employment opportunities in the IT/ITES industry, especially for women and differently-abled persons,” an IT Ministry official said. Currently, the scheme is proposed for a three-year period till March 31, 2022, with an outlay of about ₹270 crore to create about 50,000 work-from-home jobs.
•The initiative is likely to be launched as phase II of the IT Ministry’s India BPO Promotion Scheme that incentivises firms to set up operations in tier-2 and tier-3 cities in the country. The scheme, launched in 2016, had an outlay of about ₹500 crore with an objective to create about 1.45 lakh jobs.
•“There is abundant talent pool in the country, especially women, who are not able to join full-time office jobs. The scheme envisages incentives for both employers as well as employees,” the official said. Pointing out that companies do not recruit people for work-from-home jobs on part-time basis, but on contract due to stringent labour laws, the official said, “For contract-based jobs, companies don’t need to provide PF and other job benefits.”
Labour law exemption
•The ‘work-from-home’ policy may extend relaxation in labour laws similar to that given to start-ups under the Startup India programme.
•In 2016, the government had announced exemption for start-ups from nine labour laws, including the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970, Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 and Employees State Insurance Act, 1948.
•Besides, it is proposed that employees be provided support for 50% of the cost of a laptop (₹10,000 cap) or smartphone (up to ₹5,000), along with up to ₹350 per month for broadband.
•“We are also thinking about offering salary-based incentives to incentivise employees to stick to work-from-home jobs,” the official said, adding that additional incentive would be given to women employees, differently-abled, SC/ST and those from aspirational (backward) districts.
•To avail benefits under the work-from-home scheme, employees will need to have an Aadhaar-linked Universal Account Number.
•For employers, among other things, the policy proposes to provide 50% of the actual expenditure on technical infrastructure required for enabling such jobs, with a cap of ₹10,000 per job.
📰 Mallya row: SEBI seeks changes to Companies Act
•Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has asked the government to amend the Companies Act to ensure that a director declared by the regulator as a disqualified person should immediately vacate the position, a plea triggered by defaulter businessman Vijay Mallya’s reluctance to do so.
•Under the Act, the office of a director becomes vacant in case of he or she being disqualified by an order of a court or a tribunal, among other reasons, but there is no explicit mention of an order by the SEBI.
•In a proposal, SEBI has now proposed that the Companies Act should also clearly mention that a person should vacate the office of a director if it orders his or her disqualification.
•Officials said the Finance Ministry is in agreement with the SEBI on the proposed amendment and has asked the regulator to get it approved by its board and then forward it to the Corporate Affairs Ministry.
•SEBI, in its proposal, has referred to its interim order dated January 25, 2017, through which the regulator had barred Mr. Mallya and six others from holding directorship in any listed company till further directions. The SEBI order followed a probe into alleged illegal fund diversions at United Spirits, an erstwhile firm of business group headed by Mr. Mallya, which he later sold to global liquor giant Diageo.
•However, Mr. Mallya did not comply with the order as he did not step down as a director of United Breweries Ltd. for months.
•Under the Act, the office of a director becomes vacant in case of he or she being disqualified by an order of a court or a tribunal, among other reasons, but there is no explicit mention of an order by the SEBI.
•In a proposal, SEBI has now proposed that the Companies Act should also clearly mention that a person should vacate the office of a director if it orders his or her disqualification.
•Officials said the Finance Ministry is in agreement with the SEBI on the proposed amendment and has asked the regulator to get it approved by its board and then forward it to the Corporate Affairs Ministry.
•SEBI, in its proposal, has referred to its interim order dated January 25, 2017, through which the regulator had barred Mr. Mallya and six others from holding directorship in any listed company till further directions. The SEBI order followed a probe into alleged illegal fund diversions at United Spirits, an erstwhile firm of business group headed by Mr. Mallya, which he later sold to global liquor giant Diageo.
•However, Mr. Mallya did not comply with the order as he did not step down as a director of United Breweries Ltd. for months.
