The Hindu

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to probe allegations against Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies

Context: The Union Consumer Affairs Ministry has asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to investigate the allegations against the leading Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies. This follows recent claims that Nestle’s baby food products in India, as well as those in Africa and Latin America, contain excessive sugar levels.

About Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)

  • FMCGs are products that sell quickly at relatively low cost. These goods are also called consumer packaged goods.
  • They have a short shelf life because of high consumer demand such as soft drinks and confections or because they are perishable (e.g., meat, dairy products, and baked goods).
  • There are several types of FMCGs such as: 
    • Processed foods such as cheese products, cereals, and boxed pasta
    • Beverages such as bottled water, energy drinks, and juices
    • Fresh foods, frozen foods, and dry goods
    • Medicines such as aspirin, pain relievers, and other medication that can be purchased without a prescription
    • Cleaning products such as baking soda, oven cleaner, and window and glass cleaner
    • Cosmetics and toiletries such as hair care products, concealers, toothpaste, and soap
    • Office supplies such as pens, pencils, and markers
  • The FMCG sector, as India's fourth-largest industry, employs about 3 million people, making up 5% of the country's total factory employment.

About FSSAI:

  • Body: Statutory body has been established under Food Safety and Standards, 2006.It works as an independent authority and attained a special status. The FSS Act took 7 older acts into one umbrella.
    • Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954. 
    • Fruit Products Order, 1955 
    • Meat Food Products Order, 1973
    • Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order, 1947  
    • Edible Oils Packaging (Regulation) Order 1998  
    • Solvent Extracted Oil, De- Oiled Meal and Edible Flour (Control) Order, 1967  
    • Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992 
  • Nodal ministry: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, is the Administrative Ministry for the implementation.
  • Headed by: Non-executive chairperson, appointed by the Central Government, either holding or has held the position of not below the rank of Secretary.
  • Objective: To establish a single reference point for all matters relating to food safety and standards, by moving from multi- level, multi- departmental control to a single line of command.
  • Function: 
    • Framing of regulations to lay down food safety standards
    • Laying down guidelines for accreditation of laboratories for food testing
    • Providing scientific advice and technical support to the Central Government
    • Contributing to the development of international technical standards in food
    • Collecting and collating data regarding food consumption, contamination, emerging risks, etc.
    • Disseminating information and promoting awareness about food safety and nutrition in India.

Removing exotic plants will ensure food for wild animals, finds study

Context: A study by the Kerala State Forest Protective State Organisation, an association states that removing exotic plants from forest areas will help ensure food for wild elephants at Chinnakkanal in Munnar.

Chinnakkanal

  • Chinnakkanal is a village in Devikulam Block in Idukki District of Kerala State.
  • It is a part of the elephant corridor from Anayirankal to Old Devikulam in Munnar.

Background

  • This village was in news due to rising reports of Man – Animal conflict especially the elephants who were attacking local shops and agricultural fields.
  • Kerala High court appointed an expert panel to address human-animal conflict in Chinnakanal.
  • This panel recommended the reopening of the elephant corridor from Anayirankal to Old Devikulam in Munnar.
  • Securing the corridor between Anayirankal and Old Devikulam, spanning a 60-acre shola forest, is proposed to facilitate the free movement of wild elephants. This move could potentially grant access to a vast 4,500 sq. km area within the Munnar landscape.
  • Kerala State Forest Protective State Organisation also tried to investigate the about steps to mitigate human-elephant conflict in the region.

Suggestions 

  • Removing exotic species such as Acacia mearnsii (black wattle), West Indian Lantana (kongini) and eucalyptus from forests is vital to addressing the problems.
  • Many areas are filled with exotic trees, which inhibit the growth of other plants.
  • Wild animals, including elephants, are unable to move through these areas. If these areas change to natural grasslands, it will ensure food and water for wild elephants.

Acacia mearnsii (black wattle)

  • It is a species of flowering plant
  • It is native to south-eastern Australia and Tasmania, but has been introduced to North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Pacific and Indian Ocean islands, Africa, and New Zealand. 
  • In these areas it is often used as a commercial source of tannin or a source of firewood for local communities.
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  • As an exotic species they threaten native habitats by competing with indigenous vegetation, replacing grass communities, reducing native biodiversity and increasing water loss from riparian zones. 

West Indian Lantana (kongini)

  • Species of flowering plant.
  • It is native to tropical Americas, the West Indies (Caribbeans).
  • Its vibrant flowers and aromatic foliage have made it an ornamental plant in Gardens and landscapes worldwide.
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  • As an exotic species it has established itself as a notorious weed
  • In Goa it was introduced by the Portuguese.
  • Lantana can outcompete native species, leading to a reduction in biodiversity.
  • It create a mat-like structure leading to degradation and destruction of the biodiversity. As a result, herbivores like Gaur, Chital and Sambar are deprived of their food. This also affects the survival of carnivores such as tigers and panthers, interlinked to the ecological equilibrium.

Eucalyptus

  • It is native to Australia.
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  • Eucalypts have been grown in plantations in many other countries because they are fast growing, have valuable timber, or can be used for pulpwood, honey production, or essential oils. 
  • In some countries, they have been removed because of the danger of forest fires due to their high flammability.
  • They are also termed as thirsty trees as they are responsible for rapid ground water depletion in areas of their plantation.
  • Introduced about four centuries ago to create tannin in the Nilgiris have colonised the grasslands extensively and encroached upon the adjoining shola forests. 

For further reading about the invasive species

Using mosquitofish to fight mosquitoes throws India a tougher puzzle

Swell Waves

Context: Hyderabad-based INCOIS has issued an alert to coastal States on the possibility of swell surges and rough sea conditions.

About Swell Waves:

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High-Energy Swell Waves

All swells are created by wind blowing over the surface of the ocean. When strong winds persist over vast distances (such as during storms), they generate waves. The strength, duration, and area of the ocean that the wind affects determine the size of the waves, how far they’ll travel, and the energy they carry when they reach the shore.

Working:

  • Wind Energy: As winds blow across the ocean, they transfer energy to the water surface. This energy causes ripples to form, which eventually evolve into waves.
  • Distance and Duration: The longer the wind blows and the greater the distance it covers, the more energy is transferred to the waves. Consequently, the waves become larger and cover more distance.
  • Swells: Swells can be categorized based on their origin:
    • Groundswell: These swells originate from winds far out at sea, covering longer distances. They have longer swell periods and more energy. Groundswells often result in cleaner, organized surf conditions.
    • Windswell: Wind swell forms closer to the shore. The swell period is shorter, waves are less organized, and they arrive faster.

Issuing Authority: Hyderabad-based Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS).

Recipient States: Coastal States of Goa, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Lakshadweep, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Alert Content:

  • INCOIS alerted coastal states about the possibility of high-energy swell waves over the weekend.
  • Urged the total suspension of operational and recreational activities at beaches and nearshore regions on Saturday and Sunday.
  • Advised fishermen and coastal populations to be cautious about potential surge waves, especially in low-lying areas.

Scientific Explanation:

  • Senior scientist T. Balakrishnan Nair explained that high-period swells originating approximately 10,000 km away from the Indian coast in the southern Atlantic Ocean on April 26 were causing high-energy swell propagation towards Indian coastal regions.
  • Expected impact: hitting the southern tip of India early Saturday, potentially causing coastal flooding in low-lying areas when combined with high tide conditions.

Safety Recommendations:

  • Small vessels cautioned against plying nearshore.
  • Recommended anchoring boats at a fair distance from each other to prevent damage.

Special Advisory for Kerala:

  • Kerala coastal communities advised to remain vigilant.
  • State put on red alert for high-energy swell waves, locally known as 'Kallakadal' (rogue sea), likely lasting until 11:30 p.m. on Sunday.
  • Potential swell waves: ranging from 0.5 meters to 1.7 meters high in low-lying areas.

Actions by Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA):

  • Issued directions to suspend recreational activities along beaches.
  • Advised coastal residents to temporarily evacuate if necessary.
  • First instance of a red alert being issued for the State regarding the Kallakadal phenomenon, according to KSDMA member secretary Sekhar Kuriakose.

Standard Essential Patent

About Standard Essential Patent:

  • A ‘standard’ is a set of technical requirements or agreed technical descriptions which cover ideas, products or services and make sure that technologies interact and work together.
  • A Standard Essential Patent (SEP) is a patent granted for technological invention which is essential for implementation and working of a standard.
  • Patents which are essential to a standard and have been adopted by a Standard Setting Organisation (SSO) are known as SEPs.
    • SSOs are either governmental, quasi-governmental or private groups of independently governed industry associations.
    • SSOs set, develop, coordinate, interpret, and maintain standards. Industry participants can collaborate on a single technical solution because of such standards.
  • When a patent is acknowledged by the SSO and designated as a SEP, manufacturers can only produce their goods in the market after first acquiring a licence under the SEP.

SEPs and the Telecommunications Sector: 

  • SEPs are widely used in the telecommunications sector as it is a highly standardised industry primarily driven by the requirement for interoperability between communication devices.
  • Technologies such as CDMA, GSM, LTE are all industry standards in the telecom sector. Such technological standards are especially important to ensure interoperability of different brands of cellular phones manufactured by different companies.
    • For example, once GSM was adopted as a standard, all manufacturers had to ensure that the handsets that they manufactured were compatible with GSM. Otherwise there would be no demand for their phones.
  • In industries like consumer electronics, the automotive industry, and the electricity grid industry, such communication standards are also essential for the growth of the hyperconnected society. 
  • The goal of making standards accessible to everyone for public use may be defeated by the exclusive rights granted to inventors by patents. To address this issue, the majority of SSOs have established IPR policies that require SSO members to agree to licensing their SEPs under "Fair, Reasonable and Nondiscriminatory" (FRAND) terms and conditions.
    • These commitments are intended to safeguard technology implementers while making sure that Patent holders are fairly compensated for their research and development expenditures.

SEP protection in India: 

  • The Patent laws in India neither contain a special provision for SEPs nor lays down any specific criteria or terms and conditions to be complied with while licensing a patented technology. However, it does restrain a patentee (proprietor of the patent) from abusing its patent right and engaging in practices that unreasonably restrain trade. 
  • Moreover, the Indian judiciary has been framing laws through court cases for the regulation of the SEPs.
  • Through its National Telecom Policy (2012), India has aimed to increase standardisation and intellectual property creation. India’s national SSO is the Bureau of Indian Standards. 

FRAND licensing (Fair, Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory): 

  • The Judiciary and the Standard Setting Organisations have mandated licensing of the patents based on FAIR, REASONABLE and NON-DISCRIMINATORY (FRAND) principles.
  • FRAND terms encourage the adoption of the standard and mitigate any concerns about unfair competition. 
  • SEPs can be protected in India only by registering a patent in India. A SEP holder must agree to licence the SEP to willing licensees at Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) rates. 

Challenges: 

  • Globally, the process of setting standards in the technology sector is largely privatised and dominated by “standard setting organisations” (SSOs) run largely by private technology companies. Countries such as India with little innovation in the telecom sector, have very little influence over how standards are set or how SEPs are licensed.
  • Theoretically, the companies which own the SEPs, gain enormously because every manufacturer of cellular phones has to licence the technological standards in question in order to survive in the market. The lack of alternatives also means that owners of SEPs can demand extortionary royalties or licensing terms from manufacturers that block competition. 
  • In theory, the SSOs are supposed to prevent such a scenario by requiring the owners of SEPs to licence their technologies at a fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) rate. In practice, this model of self-regulation by the technology industry has been marked with opacity. 

Way Forward: 

  • On the lines of international agreements, the Indian government needs to intervene and put in place the measures to regulate standard essential patents for greater transparency and protect the rights of Indian manufacturers. 

Why are Indian spices facing the heat?

Context: At least five countries, including Singapore, Hong Kong and the U.S., have announced an investigation into possible contamination of spice mixes sold by top Indian brands, MDH and Everest.

More information:

  • The complaints cite the presence of ethylene oxide, a toxic chemical used as a food stabiliser, beyond permissible limits.
  • The Spices Board of India in response has initiated mandatory testing of products shipped abroad and is reportedly working with exporters to identify the root cause of contamination.
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Countries flagging concerns: 

  • Hong Kong suspended the sale of three MDH spice blends and Everest spice. 
    • The spice mixes contained high levels of ethylene oxide, advising consumers against purchasing these products.
  • Singapore too ordered a recall of the Everest spice mix, highlighting concerns against presence of ‘Ethylene oxide’ which is a pesticide that is not authorised for use in food, posing a cancer risk if exposed for too long.
  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has previously rejected food and spice imports from India.
    • A scrutiny of FDA’s import refusal report (2023), cites at least 30 instances wherein entry was refused because the products appeared to contain Salmonella. 
    • These are agents known to cause salmonellosis, a common bacterial foodborne illness.
    • Also, there have been at least 11 products being rejected because of misbranding, adulteration, artificial colouring or incorrect labelling.
    • The U.S. Dept of Agriculture stated India and Mexico were top sources of pathogen-based food import refusals. 
  • Regulatory bodies in Maldives, Australia and Bangladesh have announced similar plans. 
  • The top three importers of India’s curry powders and mixtures, in the fiscal year 2022-23, include the U.S. (₹196.2 crore), U.A.E (₹170.6 crore) and U.K. (₹124.9 crore); followed by Saudi Arabia, Australia, Bangladesh, Oman, Canada, Qatar and Nigeria (Data: Indian Spices Board).
  • Overall, China, U.S. U.A.E, Bangladesh and Thailand are the top importers of all spices and spice mixes originating from India.
  • Everest and MDH are major players in India’s spice export industry. 

Health concerns: 

  • MDH and Everest’s spice mixes allegedly contain high levels of a prohibited pesticide called ethylene oxide (ETO).
    • ETO is a colourless, flammable gas that was originally intended for sterilising medical devices.
    • It is used as a chemical in industrial settings, agriculture, and as a sterilising agent in food products, including spices, dried vegetables and other commodities.
    • The chemical lends life to the spice industry: it reduces microbial contamination, and extends products’ shelf life and makes their storage safe.
  • However, the improper and excessive use of ETO may leave behind residues, causing toxic and even carcinogenic compounds to form, thus contaminating the product.
    • One such product is Ethylene glycol, an ingredient found in Indian-made cough syrups which were linked to the deaths of more than 300 children in Cameroon, Gambia, Indonesia and Uzbekistan. 
    • Long-term exposure to ethylene oxide is associated with cancers including lymphoma and leukaemia, some evidence shows.
  • A recent European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) showed carcinogenic chemicals were found in 527 products (including herbs and spices) linked to India between 2020 and 2024. 
  • Reasons for ETO traces found in excess:
    • Use of non-approved pesticides and processing techniques aimed to reduce microbiological contamination
  • Response by the alleged players: 
    • MDH has called allegations over ETO contamination ‘baseless and unsubstantiated’.
    • It has also added that neither the Spices Board nor the FSSAI have received communication or test reports from Singapore or Hong Kong authorities.

Response by India: 

  • The Spices Board, tasked with developing, promoting and regulating the export of spices and spice products, operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
    • It announced corrective measures, including initiating mandatory testing of consignments shipped to Singapore and Hong Kong and gathering technical details and analytical reports from the relevant food and drug agencies. 
    • Thorough inspections at exporter facilities are also underway to ensure adherence with regulatory standards. 
    • A circular containing guidelines to exporters on preventing ETO contamination is prepared after detailed discussions with the Indian spice industry.
      • Measures include voluntary testing of ETO during raw and final stages. 
      • ETO treated products to be stored separately, to identify ETO as a hazard and incorporate critical control points in hazard analysis. 
      • Exporters are encouraged to use alternate methods such as steam sterilization or irradiation.
  • The FSSAI has directed state regulators to collect samples of major spice brands, including MDH and Everest, to test for the presence of ETO.
  • FSSAI is also planning to carry out a nationwide surveillance in 2024-25: for fruit and vegetables, salmonella in fish products, spice and culinary herbs, fortified rice and milk and milk products.

Concerns about food safety in India: 

Despite stringent food laws, the recent controversies collectively underscore the persistent nature of food safety challenges across various sectors of the food industry. 

image 10

Concerns about trade and overall spices market: 

  • With nearly $700 million worth of exports to critical markets at stake, and potential losses increasing to over half of India’s total spice exports due to cascading regulatory actions in many countries, the future of India’s spice is in delicate balance. 
  • The credibility crisis could also spiral out into losses for the masala makers, both smaller and larger players.
  • In the event of potential losses, farmers of such crops too could find themselves at the receiving end.
    • There are already cases where certain companies have not paid appropriate prices to farmers even when they were making profits.
    • Now, if the companies make losses, it could be used as a pretext to reduce the prices further, thus, burdening the farmer.
  • If regulators in China too take actions, Indian exports could see a ‘dramatic downturn’. 
    • This could affect exports, about 51.1% of the country’s global spice exports.

Way forward: 

  • As the mistrust thickens around FSSAI, there is a need for stricter regulatory measures and transparency in food production and safety industry standards.
  • There should be a commitment to proactive monitoring and enforcement, rather than reactive responses to individual incidents.
  • Regulations must align with the global rules and that is why the food authority must regularly update standards, and handhold exporters.
  • Consumers can advocate safer products by staying informed about food safety issues, supporting companies that prioritise safety and transparency and actively engaging with policymakers to demand stronger regulatory measures.
  • Awareness needs to be generated among consumers about labels and certifications indicating product safety and quality.
  • Government should run campaigns to educate customers on how the food brands use smart marketing techniques to mislead them. 

A country with a growing food market and an aspiration to increase its footprint in the global market needs more proactive regulations and standardisations. 

Illegal mining in the Aravali range must stop: Supreme Court

Context - The Supreme Court on Thursday said illegal mining in the Aravali range in Rajasthan must stop.

Key facts related to Aravallis:

  • One of the oldest fold mountains of the world.
  • The Aravallis are assembled over a very large province of granite (called the Bundelkhand craton; a craton is part of Earth’s crust which has been stable for nearly a billion years or so) and gneiss (pronounced “nice” which is typically a hard, grey rock with long, white or grey ribbon-like bands).
  • Extends from Delhi ridge up to Palanpur (Gujarat).
  • Covers Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan & Gujarat.
  • The peaks reach their maximum height in the south-western segment, with some rising more than 1,000 m (like the 1,722 m-high Guru Shikhar near Mount Abu and hills around Udaipur). As we move north, the range begins to taper and the hills become modest.
  • Its highest peak is Guru Shikhar (on Abu Hills) in Rajasthan. Mt. Abu is also located nearby.
  • Goram ghat is located in the Southern part of Aravalli mountain range. It connects Marwar and Mewar regions of Rajasthan.
  • It gives rise to several rivers, including the Banas, Luni, Sakhi, and Sabarmati.
  • Though heavily forested in the south, it is generally bare and thinly populated, consisting of large areas of sand and stone and of masses of rose-coloured quartzite.
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Dongria Kondh Tribe

Context: Generations of Dongria Kondh tribals in Odisha’s Rayagada district have not been to school because of the challenges of living in a hilly area in the forest.

About Kondh tribe

While many Khond have transitioned to rice cultivation, some groups, like the Kuttia Khond, continue to engage in slash-and-burn agriculture (kondhs call it dongar chaas or podu chaas)

  • It is the largest tribal group in the state of Odisha. They are an also designated Scheduled Tribe in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
  • They speak Kui and Kuvi as their native languages. They are most closely related to the Gondi language. Both are Dravidian languages and are written with the Odia script.
  • Traditionally their religious beliefs were syncretic combining totemism, animism, ancestor worship, shamanism and nature worship.
  • The tribe has a number of sub-tribes, such as, the Dongria, Kovi, Kuttia, Languli, Penga, and Jharnia.

About Dongria Kondh

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  • They are a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG). 
  • They are located in the Niyamgiri hills in the state of Odisha in India.
    • They sustain themselves from the resources of the Niyamgiri forests, practising horticulture and shifting cultivation.
    • Niyamgiri is a hill range, which falls under the Rayagada and Kalahandi District in south-west Odisha, India. Its highest point is the mountain known as Niyamgiri or Niyam Dongar.
  • Language: Kui language. The Kui language does not have a script, but it is spoken among the people of the Kondh community.
state wise list of Particularly vulnerable tribal groups PVTGs

About Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG): 

  • A particularly vulnerable tribal group or PVTG, is a sub-classification of Scheduled Tribe or section of a Scheduled Tribe, that is considered more vulnerable than a regular Scheduled Tribe.
  • The PVTG list was created by the Indian Government with the purpose of better improving the living standards of endangered tribal groups based on priority.
  • The Dhebar Commission (1960-1961) found that within the Scheduled Tribe classification an inequality existed in the rate of development of certain tribes over others.
    • As a result in the fourth Five Year Plan (1973), the sub-category "Primitive tribal group" was created within the grouping of Scheduled Tribe to identify groups considered to be especially lacking in modern development.
  • In 2006, the Government of India renamed the PTGs as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). 
  • The identification of such groups was based on one or more of the following characteristics:
  • 75 PTVGs have been identified across the country, spread over 18 states and 1 Union Territory (Andaman & Nicobar).
  • Among the 75 listed PVTGs, the highest number are found in Odisha (13), followed by Andhra Pradesh. 

Meat & Poultry Industry

Context - The current outbreak of H5N1 was a disaster waiting to happen, as experts have been sounding alarm bells on the unsafe conditions at industrial livestock production for more than 10 years now.

Present status:

  • Poultry is one of the fastest-growing segments of the agricultural sector in India today.
  • India ranks 3rd in the world in terms of total Egg production (Source: FAO).
  • According to EMR market research, the India poultry market, currently valued at USD $28.18 billion, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% in the forecast period of 2024-2032 to reach a value of approximately USD $44.97 billion by 2032.
  • During the 2022-23, India exported poultry and poultry products to 64 countries, generating revenue of USD $134 million.
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Potential of Poultry sector in India

  • Growth in per capita income and rise in middle class have changed the dietary patterns in favour of protein rich food.
  • Growing urban population have further increased the demand and made India one of the largest consumers.
  • Falling real poultry prices due to automation and government support.
  • Largest producer of several agri commodities creates a strong pull factor 
  • Significant investments in world class ports and increase in logistics & supply chain infrastructure.
  • Government policies like 100% FDI permitted through automatic route in
  • food processing sector, mega food park scheme etc

In India, poultry sector growth is being driven by rising incomes and a rapidly expanding middle class, together with the emergence of vertically integrated poultry producers that have reduced consumer prices by lowering production and marketing costs. Integrated production, the market transition from live birds to chilled and frozen products, and policies that ensure supplies of competitively priced corn and soybeans are keys to future poultry industry growth in India. There are several small poultry dressing plants in the country. These plants are producing dressed chickens. These plants also manufacture egg powder and frozen egg yolk for export.

Existing challenges:

  • Outbreak of diseases like Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) causes culling of poultry, scrapping of orders and price rise which hits the industry hard.
  • Shortage of raw material is another issue. Price of soybean meal, has increased, which has forced the feed manufacturers to compromise in terms of diet given to birds.
  • Shortage of human resources is another problem because of the absence of veterinarians, researchers, in areas where expertise knowledge is required.
  • Indian poultry sector is still unable to tap the benefit of international market. Lack of adequate cold storage, warehouses is the major factor affecting poultry sector in India.
  •  Majority of the production is by unorganized sector as backyard poultry for additional income. Of the total processed poultry products only about 1% undergoes processing into value added products (ready-to-eat/ready-to-cook).
  • Increasing antibiotics level in poultry products are creating long lasting harmful effects like drug resistance in people.
  • Lack of comprehensive regulating authority to maintain hygiene, and granting of licenses to businesses.
  • The proximity of the birds to their waste and other birds increases risk of agents such as salmonella for consumers.

What can be a way ahead?

  • “Social Awareness Campaigns” which could sensitize the communities and population at a large on major aspects related to poultry including, Hygienic rearing, slaughtering and storage of poultry to ensure food safety and quality.
  • Central government should frame user support policy to encourage bio plants for poultry and to move organic mass of the country.
  • There is a requirement of national geographical zoning to avoid adverse effects on the overall economy in the case of an outbreak of bird influenza in any part of the country.
  • Infrastructure development is key for viability and sustained growth of poultry sector especially the cold chain and processing units as there are fluctuations in poultry consumption round the year owing to religious and cultural factors.
  • Encourage brand development for certain indigenous poultry like Kadaknath or other birds with some specific attributes.

Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system

Context: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) tested a next-generation Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system aimed at boosting the Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

About Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system: 

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  • It is a missile-based system designed to significantly extend the range of lightweight torpedoes that can target submarines hundreds of kilometres away far beyond the conventional range of lightweight torpedoes (around 20-40 km). 
  • It will be particularly employed in the absence of other assets for immediate action when an enemy submarine is detected.
  • The canister-based missile system comprises several advanced subsystems including two-stage solid propulsion, precision inertial navigation, and a precision inertial navigation system, among others.
  • It carries an advanced lightweight torpedo missile as a payload along with a parachute-based release mechanism.
  • The system has been designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability far beyond the conventional range of the torpedo.

Analyzing labour on a warming planet

Context - The International Labour Organization (ILO) has come up with its latest report, ‘Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate’.

How workers are impacted on account of climate change?

  • Agriculture workers are the worst impacted. They face regular losses because of extreme weather events like floods and droughts. Pest attacks are increasing and thereby hampering the productivity. High exposure to agro chemical has a lot of damaging effect on their health. 
  • Industrial workers are exposed to huge indoor air pollution. Weather extremities are increasing industrial disasters. E.g. Damage of Biogas plant due to high snow load in Germany. Excessive heat stress leads to wear and tear of machines, further increasing the risks. Overwhelming informalisation of the sector has meant little to no oversight of worker conditions.
  • Construction workers are exposed to urban heat island effect, as construction is a highly urban-centric economy, with rising growth in cities. Construction workers are also the most prone to physical injuries and air pollution related health hazards, like asthma. 
  • Rag pickers have their own challenges. Huge amount of waste are the sources of Greenhouse gasses (GHG). Landfills catch fires due to rising temperatures. Floods carry toxic chemicals to large distance. Groundwater gets polluted in those areas. 

All such things impact the worker’s health, lower down their productivity, impact their income levels.

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What are the present laws & issues in India dealing with worker’s safety in this regard?

  • Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 was laid down combining 13 central laws like, Factories Act, 1948, the Workmen Compensation Act, 1923, the Building and Other Construction Workers Act, 1996, the Plantations Labour Act, 1951, the Mines Act, 1952 and the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979 etc. However, Union government is yet to officially notify its enforcement.
  • Factories act defines a factory as an enterprise with “10 or more” workers, but those registered under this law are less than a quarter of a million. Majority of India’s 64 million MSMEs are not registered under this law and are therefore outside the purview of governmental inspections.
  • There are no optimal standards of temperature and ventilation laid down under the acts. Air conditioning and cooling methods are not listed and whatever standards are there, they are age old. Global temperatures and weather extremity levels have changed a lot since then. 
  • Fertilizer subsidies and agricultural policies are designed in such manner that they incentivise excessive and irrational use of chemicals. 
  • Lack of regulatory authorities and real time data further adds upto the vows of workers.

What needs to be done in this regard?

  • Certain model standards regarding ventilation, temperature and air conditioning must be laid down.
  • Region specific amendments should be made as every region is impacted by climate change in different manners.
  • Amendments must also be made for effective handling of effluents and by products. 
  • Weather monitoring systems must be upgraded especially for agricultural workers so that they can plan their harvest accordingly. 
  • Waste removal technologies must be deployed in the workplaces. For e.g. silica removal technologies at stone quarries or mines.
  • Regular inspection must be there in factories. For this, the existing vacancies at inspector and clerical levels must be filled.
  • Last but not the least, training and sensitization programs must run in order to prevent/ reduce such losses. 
  • Few researchers have also considered potential adaptations to mitigate the impact of climate change on agricultural workers, such as switching to night-time or shaded work to reduce direct solar radiation.

Street Vendors Act, 2014

Context: A decade has passed since the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act came into effect on May 1, 2014, marking a significant milestone after nearly four decades of legal jurisprudence and the tireless efforts of street vendor movements across India.

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Importance of street vendors: 

Street vendors estimated to constitute 2.5% of any city’s population, play multifaceted roles in city life: 

  • Affordability: The vendors make city life affordable for others by providing vital links in the food, nutrition, and goods distribution chain at reasonable prices.
  • Employment generation: They offer many migrants and the urban poor a source of modest yet consistent income.
  • Preserving local culture: They are an integral part of the local culture and identity. Food vendors helps preserve traditional recipes and cooking methods e.g.: vada pav 
  • Provider of daily services: They are essential components of daily life by providing vital services that support the local economy as well as nutritional needs of the population.

Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act: 

  • It aimed to ‘protect’ and ‘regulate’ street vending in cities, with State-level rules and schemes, and execution by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) through by-laws, planning, and regulation. 
  • It delineates the roles and responsibilities of both vendors and various levels of government. 
  • It establishes a participatory governance structure through Town Vending Committees (TVCs) and mandates that street vendor representatives must constitute 40% of TVC members, with a sub-representation of 33% of women street vendors. 
    • These committees are tasked with ensuring the inclusion of all existing vendors in vending zones. 
  • It outlines mechanisms for addressing grievances and disputes, proposing the establishment of a Grievance Redressal Committee chaired by a civil judge or judicial magistrate. 
  • It recommends that the number of street vendors be limited to 2.5 percent of the population of the ward, zone, town or city.
  • It recognises the positive urban role of vendors and the need for livelihood protection. It commits to accommodating all ‘existing’ vendors in vending zones and issuing vending certificates. 

Challenges in its implementation:

  • At the administrative level: There has been a noticeable increase in harassment and evictions of street vendors, due to an outdated bureaucratic mindset that views vendors as illegal entities to be cleared. 
    • There is also a pervasive lack of awareness and sensitisation about the Act among state authorities, the wider public, and vendors themselves. 
    • TVCs often remain under the control of local city authorities, with limited influence from street vendor representatives. And the representation of women vendors in TVCs is mostly tokenistic. 
  • At the governance level: Existing urban governance mechanisms are often weak. The Act does not integrate well with the framework established by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act for urban governance. 
    • ULBs lack sufficient powers and capacities. Schemes like the Smart Cities Mission, laden with resources and pushed through as policy priorities from the top-down, mostly focus on infrastructure development and ignore the provisions of the Act for the inclusion of street vendors in city planning. 
  • At the societal level: The prevailing image of the ‘world class city tends to be exclusionary. It marginalises and stigmatises street vendors as obstacles to urban development instead of acknowledging them as legitimate contributors to the urban economy. 
    • These challenges are reflected in city designs, urban policies, and public perceptions of neighbourhoods.

Way forward: 

  • Progressive legislation: The Street Vendors Act is progressive and detailed, but its effective implementation requires initial top-down direction from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, eventually transitioning to a more decentralized approach.
  • Decentralization needed: For the Act to be effectively implemented, it is crucial to decentralize the management and enhance the capacities of ULBs to plan for street vending in cities, and move away from high-handed department-led actions to actual deliberative processes at the TVC level.
  • Integration into urban planning: Urban schemes, city planning guidelines, and policies should be amended to explicitly include and support street vending.
  • Addressing new challenges:
    • Climate Change: Consider the impact of climate change on the working conditions and sustainability of street vending.
    • Increase in vendor numbers: Manage and support the growing number of street vendors.
    • E-commerce competition: Address competitive pressures from online markets.
    • Reduced incomes: Find innovative solutions to help vendors boost or stabilize their earnings.
  • Removing the ceiling in the number of vendors: The Act recommends that the number of street vendors be limited to 2.5 percent of the population of the ward, zone, town or city. Because in large and heavily populated cities like Mumbai and Delhi, which are centres of economic activity, the ceiling is grossly inadequate, the report urges the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to explore the possibility of revisiting this ceiling.

The sub-component on street vendors in the National Urban Livelihood Mission needs to take cognizance of the changed realities and facilitate innovative measures for addressing needs. PM SVANidhi, a micro-credit facility for street vendors, has been a positive example in that direction.

Microbes produced more new methane than fossil fuel: Study

Context: A modelling study has found methane emissions from fossil fuels declined between 1990 and the 2000s and have been stable since, whereas microbes have been producing more methane of late.

One reason could be an increase in cattle-rearing in Latin America and more emissions from waste in South and Southeast Asia.

Study on Methane Emissions

  • Naveen Chandra has been conducting simulations at the Research Institute for Global Change in Japan for the past three years, focusing on recreating the earth's atmosphere over the last 50 years on a supercomputer.
  • The concentration of methane in the atmosphere has been a subject of their research. Methane concentration increased until the 1990s, stabilized briefly, then started increasing again around 2007. Current estimates suggest methane levels are three times higher than 300 years ago.
  • Methane is the second most abundant anthropogenic greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide (CO2) but it warms the planet more. Over a century, methane has a global warming potential 28-times greater than CO2, and even higher over shorter periods like two decades (GWP is around 80 over 20-year time period).
  • Policymakers began focusing on methane recently, leading to initiatives like the 'Global Methane Pledge' at the U.N. climate talks in 2021.
  • Recent research by Mr. Chandra's team suggests microbes, particularly archaea called methanogens, are the primary sources of atmospheric methane, not fossil fuel burning.

Sources of methane

  • Scientists are increasingly recognising various sources of methane, most of which fit in two categories: biogenic and thermogenic. 
  • When fossil fuels such as natural gas or oil are extracted from deep within the earth’s crust, thermogenic methane is released. 
  • Biogenic methane comes from microbial action.
  • The microbes that produce methane are archaea — single-celled microorganisms distinct from bacteria and eukaryotes — and are called methanogens. 
  • They thrive in oxygen-deficient environments, such as the digestive tracts of animals, wetlands, rice paddies, landfills, and the sediments of lakes and oceans.
  • Methanogens play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle by converting organic matter into methane. 
  • While methane is a potent greenhouse gas, its production by methanogens is an essential part of natural ecosystems. But human activities like agriculture, dairy farming, and fossil fuel production have further increased methane emissions.
  • Both biogenic and thermogenic activities produce different isotopes of methane. Tracking the isotopes is a way to track which sources are the most active. include biogenic (microbial action) and thermogenic (fossil fuel extraction) activities.

Measuring methane

  • If there are fewer carbon-13 atoms than a certain level in a group of 1,000 methane molecules, the methane is from a biological source. If the methane is from thermogenic sources, such as trapped fossil fuels or geological activities, there will be more carbon-13 atoms in 1,000 molecules.
  • Mr. Chandra and Mr. Patra, along with international scientists, collected data from 12 monitoring sites worldwide since the 1990s to recreate the atmosphere from 1980 to 2020 on a supercomputer.
  • Finally, the team compared their own results with two emissions inventories, called EDGAR and GAINS, and found some discrepancies.
    • EDGAR had reported that methane emissions from oil and natural gas exploration had increased between 1990 and 2020. 
    • GAINS had recorded a large “unconventional” rise in emissions since 2006. Their findings disagreed with both inventories.
  • Possible reasons for discrepancies include increased cattle-rearing in Latin America and more waste emissions in South and Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa, as well as an increase in global wetlands.
  • The team's models indicated that methane emissions from fossil fuels declined between 1990 and the 2000s and have been stable since, with microbes producing more methane than fossil fuels.
  • Ground models are needed to confirm interpretations of satellite data on methane emissions, as satellites rely on models and are prone to uncertainties.
  • Anthropogenic activities such as waste and landfills, rice fields, enteric fermentation, and fossil fuel extraction contribute significantly to methane emissions and should be controlled to reduce methane levels.