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Editorial
A day of remembrance of the Pulwama attack passed yet again last month. The attack that happened on February 14, 2019, claimed the lives of 40 personnel who were a part of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), India’s largest paramilitary force. The Pulwama attack was different as it resulted in unprecedented public outcry. The emotional response it evoked in the country cut across all sections of society. As a force, the CRPF takes everything in its stride.
Before this dark day, on April 6, 2010, 76 CRPF personnel were felled by left-wing extremists numbering in their hundreds, in Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh.
It is saddening that this terrible attack faded away from public attention even though it was another dark day —it remains the deadliest attack on security forces in any counter-insurgency or anti-terrorist operations in independent India.
The internal security scenario in the country has been showing marginal improvement especially in insurgency-affected northeast India.
But one can say that there has been ‘insignificant improvement’ in left-wing extremism areas and also terrorist-affected Kashmir. It is here that the point about deployment levels is of relevance.
The deinduction of the Indian Army has taken place, with the void filled mainly by the CRPF. Hence, personnel of these forces continue to be tasked with carrying out hard duties and are overstretched without any rest or respite.
As a consequence, training becomes compromised. The need to hone tactical skills cannot be overlooked as it would adversely reflect in the operational capabilities of any force, making them vulnerable to surreptitious attacks by anti-national forces.
Opinion
Are educated women likely to marry later? (Page no. 9)
(GS Paper 1, Social Issues)
In February, when the Assam government launched a massive crackdown on child marriage, social activists pointed out that the root of the problem, i.e., limited access to education among women, is not being sufficiently addressed.
National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data show that higher education levels could play a greater role than wealth in delaying a woman’s marriage.
For example, the median marriage age of a woman who has completed over 11 years of schooling is 23 compared to 17.6 for a woman with less than five years of schooling.
The data also reflect wide variations between the marital age of rural and urban women, and Dalit and upper-caste women. In a conversation moderated by Sonikka Loganathan, Mary E. John and Rajni Palriwala discuss whether educated women are likely to marry later. Excerpts:
Education has a longer history of being significant. I use the word ‘significant’ and not ‘determining,’ which is too strong a word. Depending on (NFHS) data, you could say that over time, while education has had a steady influence, poverty has had an increasing influence.
However, we should use data as clues, not as facts. But yes, over time, wealthier people are no longer marrying their daughters early; it no longer works for their marriage market. But among the very poor, this practice continues to a much greater degree.
News
Defence acquisition proposals valued at Rs.70,500 cr. cleared (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 3, Defence)
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals estimated at ₹70,500 crore.
Some of the projects are long-gestation projects involving indigenous design and development including the development of marine diesel engine.
The AoN has been accorded for capital acquisitions under ‘Buy Indian-IDDM’ (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured).
Out of the total proposals, Indian Navy proposals constitute more than ₹56,000 crore, which largely includes indigenous BrahMos cruise missiles, Shakti Electronic Warfare (EW) systems, Utility Helicopters-Maritime among others,” it said in a statement. An AoN is the beginning of the long winding procurement process.
Other proposals include a Long Range Stand-Off Weapon (LRSOW) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) to be designed and developed indigenously and integrated on SU-30 MKI fighters and the indigenous 155mm/52-Calibre Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) along with High Mobility Vehicles (HMVs) and Gun Towing Vehicles (GTVs) for the Army.
Accordance of AoN for medium-speed marine diesel engine is a significant step as, for the first time, India is venturing into the development and manufacturing of such engines indigenously to achieve self-reliance, the Ministry said.
EC proposal to allow e-postal ballot for overseas voters under review: Law Minister (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 2, Polity and Governance)
The Election Commission (EC) has proposed to change the rules pertaining to the conduct of elections to facilitate the electronically transmitted postal ballot system for overseas Indian voters and the matter is being discussed with the Ministry of External Affairs to “iron out” logistical challenges in implementing it, Union Minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju informed the Rajya Sabha.
In a written reply to a question by BJP leader G.V.L. Narasimha Rao, Mr. Rijiju said the total number of overseas voters on January 1 stood at over 1.15 lakh.
The Law Minister said that, on the recommendation of the EC, the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2018 to enable overseas electors to cast their vote, either in person or by proxy, was passed by the Lok Sabha in August 2018.
The Bill had been pending in the Rajya Sabha for consideration but lapsed when the 16th Lok Sabha was dissolved.
In response to another question regarding judicial vacancies in High Courts, the Law Minister said there were a total of 334 vacancies in various HCs.
“Presently, there are a total of 118 proposals recommended by High Court Collegiums, which are at various stages of processing. The recommendations against 216 vacancies in the High Courts are yet to be received from the High Court Collegiums.
Mr. Rijiju also said that though there is no provision for reservation in the judiciary, the government had been requesting High Court Chief Justices that due consideration be given to suitable candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minorities, and women to ensure “social diversity” in appointments to the higher judiciary.
SC reserves judgment on 2017 verdict on the designation of lawyers (Page no. 14)
(GS Paper 2, Polity and Governance)
The Supreme Court reserved its judgment on petitions to “fine-tune” a 2017 verdict which laid down guidelines for designation of lawyers as senior advocates.
Constitutional courts bestow ‘senior advocate’ status to lawyers as a recognition of their distinct ability in or specialised knowledge of law.
Appearing before a Bench led by Justice S.K. Kaul, Additional Solicitor- General K.M. Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, submitted that the six-year-old judgment needed reconsideration.
Senior advocate Indira Jaising, on whose petition the verdict was delivered, objected that the government had no role in designating lawyers as senior advocates.
Besides, the government had, in all these years, never bothered to seek a review of the 2017 verdict. The fact is that the Attorney-General had assisted the court earlier. No issue was raised that it is not proper. The Union of India never filed a review petition,” the court noted.
On February 16, the top court had said that at this stage, it would only address the issue arising from the 2017 judgment which gave liberty to revisit the guidelines on the basis of experience so far.
NIOT to set up green, self-powered desalination plant in Lakshadweep (Page no. 14)
(GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
Stepping up from its ongoing initiative of providing potable water on six islands of Lakshadweep using low temperature thermal desalination (LTTD) technology, the Chennai-based National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) is working at making this process free of emissions.
Currently, the desalination plants, each of which provides at least 1,00,000 litres of potable water every day, are powered by diesel generator sets — there being no other source of power on the islands.
The LTTD exploits the difference in temperature (nearly 15 degrees Celsius) in ocean water at the surface and at depths of about 600 feet.
This cold water condenses water at the surface, which is warmer but whose pressure has been lowered using vacuum pumps. Such depressurised water can evaporate even at ambient temperatures, this resulting vapour when condensed is free of salts and contaminants and fit to consume.
However, the need for diesel power to reduce the water pressure means that the process is not fossil-fuel free and also consumes diesel, a precious commodity on the islands that has to be shipped from the mainland, critical for powering the electric grid.
Currently, there are five desalination plants in operation on the Lakshadweep islands. Four more were expected to be functioning in the coming months. The proposed self-sustaining plant — the 10th plant — is expected to be ready later this year.
The NIOT, an institute under the aegis of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), has worked for years on harnessing energy from the ocean.
However, ocean thermal technology, while plausible for islands, was unlikely to be useful for supplying power onshore. “For such plants to work, we need a large gradient [difference in temperature between the surface and the ocean depths].
In Lakshadweep, these depths can be achieved fairly easily unlike, say, off the coast of Chennai. It will make the power produced this way extremely expensive.