ENVIRONMENT

 

Punjab defends its Water Act: 7-day delay has helped state save 1,000 billion litres of water

 

With Supreme Court underlining the issue of Punjab farmers being forced to change paddy cultivation pattern after enactment of Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act, 2009.

Experts defence: 

It has helped in saving billion litres of water.

About the Act:

Under the act, paddy transplantation date was shifted from June 1 to June 20. 

This delay is being blamed for stubble burning. 

 

Reference: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/punjab-defends-its-water-act-7-day-delay-has-helped-state-save-1000-billion-litres-of-water-6103438/

 

Punjab water law change, delayed burning, wind pattern behind NCR smog

Problem of air pollution from paddy stubble burning is ultimately about a simple trade-off between more smoke and less water.

 

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana have been setting fire to their fields after harvesting of paddy since 1980s.

Earlier Practices:

-       Farmers in Punjab were sowing paddy nurseries from mid-to-late April and transplanting the seedlings from mid-May to late-May.

-       As a result, paddy including 155-day varieties such as Pusa-44, got harvested by early October — and the burning of the 50-60 cm tall standing stubble, which remained after harvesting, got over around mid-October.

Changes after 2009:

-       Punjab government passed Punjab preservation of Subsoil Water Act in 2009.

-       The 2009 Act, barred any nursery sowing and transplanting of paddy before May 15 and June 15, respectively.

-       By not permitting transplanting before June 15, the Punjab government was ensuring that a significant part of the crop’s water requirement is met from monsoon rains.

Effect of the Act:

-       Late transplanting has meant that farmers are now setting fire to their fields mostly from the third week of October to the first week of November.

-       This is the time just before the onset of winter, when wind movement is very slow and moisture levels in the lower atmosphere are high.

-       Particulate matter, gases from the burnt stubble, vehicles and industries get accumulated in the lower atmosphere.

-       Winds in Punjab generally blow from the northwest to the southeast leading to increased pollution in NCR.

Reference: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/delhi-air-pollution-punjab-stubble-burning-haryana-6103330/

 

ECONOMY

Behind Govt’s RCEP reluctance: Opposition from dairy to India Inc, Congress to Parivar

 

Trade-related concerns apart, the government’s decision to suddenly back out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Cooperation (RCEP) at the last minute comes in the backdrop of an Opposition onslaught, subdued results in the Maharashtra and Haryana elections, and the government’s own inability to hardsell the trade deal to key stakeholders including the RSS, small and marginal dairy farmers, and Corporate India.

 

Other stakeholders comment:

-       Opposition had opposed the deal, as it would hit hard Small Medium Enterprise and shopkeepers during economic slowdown.

-       Civil society had shown concern over domestic industry becoming handicap for negotiators. It will give access of huge market of India to China with which India has trade deficit.

-       Poor performance in Haryana and Maharashtra elections has also been in govt mind. 

 

 

Reference: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-rcep-asean-narendra-modi-bjp-congress-6103393/

 

Explained: Why India has said no to RCEP

 

India decided to hold off on signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) until “significant outstanding issues” were resolved, even as all other 15 countries involved in the negotiations stated that they were ready to sign the mega trade deal in 2020.

 

Reasons behind not joining the RCEP:

-       India is having huge trade deficit with China amounting to $50 billion annually. 

-       Inadequate protection was provided for dealing with surge in imports.  It may lead to flooding of cheaper imports from China.

-       India did not receive credible assurance on lowering of non-tariff barriers. Countries are known to use non tariff barrier to protect from imports 

-       India had reservation on lowering of tariffs on several products.

-       Possible circumvention on country of origin was also not dealt effectively in the negotiation.

-       India is having FTA with many RCEP countries and had mixed experiences out of it. It is running deficit with most of them. 

-       India’s demand to choose the base year for tariff reduction was not effectively addressed. 

Concern of industry, civil society:

-       Dairy industry highlighted that cheap imports from Australia and New Zealand would hit them hard.

-       Steel and textile industry also sought protection.

-       Civil society bodies and trade experts have also raised questions over the possible gains from an RCEP deal.

 

Reference: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/why-india-has-said-no-to-rcep-6103235/

 

POLITY

Delhi: Supreme Court questions odd-even logic, seeks data

Questioning the logic of the odd-even scheme introduced by the Delhi government to deal with the issue of pollution, the Supreme Court wondered if it would make any difference, as people who have to travel would resort to other means like taxis or two- and three-wheelers.

Government Argument:

-       People have to travel and will use other mean like autos, taxis and two-wheelers. It will add to pollution.

-       What do you plan to achieve by stopping these cars, which create less pollution than autos and two-wheelers?

-       The issue is, even if you are stopping one vehicle, another is plying in its place.

-       Not all taxis plying in the national capital are CNG equipped.

Counsel’s Arguments:

-       Autos run on CNG and are less polluting.

-       What we are achieving is lesser number of vehicles on roads?

Reference: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-supreme-court-questions-odd-even-logic-seeks-data-6103291/