Weekly Current Affairs (15th to 21st January 2023) Part - 1 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Centre Vs Delhi Govt on Control Over Services

Context: A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court (SC) is hearing a dispute between the Delhi government and the Centre over the control of administrative services.

• Almost five years ago, another Constitution Bench had ruled in favour of the State government in a similar tussle.

What is the Timeline of the Dispute?

2017 Judgement:

• The Delhi High Court had, in its judgment 2017 held that for administration purposes of the National Capital Territory (NCT), the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) is not bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers in every matter.
• On appeal, the SC in 2017, referred the matter to decide the interpretation of Article 239AA of the Constitution.

2018 Judgement:

• A five-judge Constitution bench had unanimously held that the L-G of Delhi is bound by the aid and advice of the elected government, and both needed to work harmoniously with each other.

2019 Judgement:

• A two-judge Bench of the SC delivered a split verdict on the question of powers of the Government of NCT of Delhi and Union government over services and referred the matter to a three-judge Bench.
  • While one judge had ruled the Delhi government has no power at all over administrative services.
  • Another judge, however, had said the transfer or posting of officers in top echelons of the bureaucracy (joint director and above) can only be done by the Central government and the view of the L-G would prevail in case of a difference of opinion for matters relating to other bureaucrats.

2022 Case:

• The Centre on 27th April 2022 sought a reference to a larger Bench, arguing that it needed the power to make transfers and postings of officers in Delhi on account of it being the national capital and the “face of nation”.
• The court agreed that the limited question relating to the scope of the legislative and executive powers of the Centre and NCT of Delhi, with respect to the term “services”, would need an authoritative pronouncement by a Constitution Bench in terms of Article 145(3) of the Constitution.

What are the Arguments and Counterarguments in the Issue?

Arguments For:

• The Centre has consistently maintained that because Delhi is the national capital and the face of the country, it must have control over administrative services, which include appointments and transfers.

Counter-Arguments:

• The Delhi government has argued that in the interest of federalism, the elected representatives must have power over transfers and postings.
• The Delhi government had also contended that the recent amendments to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021, violate the doctrine of basic structure of the Constitution.

What is the Governance Model of New Delhi?

• The status of Delhi being a Union Territory under Schedule 1 of the Constitution but christened the ‘National Capital Territory’ under Article 239AA.
• The 69th amendment to the Constitution of India inserted Article 239AA, which declared the Union Territory of Delhi to be administered by a L-G who works on aid and advice of the elected legislative assembly.
  • However, the ‘aid and advice’ clause pertains only to matters on which the elected Assembly has powers under the State and Concurrent Lists with the exception of public order, police, and land.
• Further, the Article 239AA also notes that L-G has to either act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, or he is bound to implement the decision taken by the President on a reference being made by him.
• Also, Article 239AA, empowers the L-G to refer a difference of opinion on ‘any matter’ with the Council of Ministers to the President.
• Thus, this dual control between L-G and the elected government leads to a power tussle.

Way Forward

• The federal nature of the Constitution is its basic feature and cannot be altered, thus, the stakeholders wielding power intend to protect the federal feature of our Constitution.
• A diverse and large country like India requires a proper balance between the pillars of federalism, i.e., autonomy of states, national integration, centralisation, decentralisation, nationalisation, and regionalisation.
• Extreme political centralisation or chaotic political decentralisation can both lead to the weakening of Indian federalism.
• The satisfactory and lasting solution of the vexed problem is to be found not in the statute-book but in the conscience of men in power.
• With collective responsibility, aid, and advice as the pillars of democracy, it is critical to find a balance and decide whether the center or Delhi government should have control over services in Delhi.

Deep-Water Circulation

Context: Recent studies have indicated that tectonically driven changes in the ocean gateways had a dramatic impact on the global overturning circulations.

What do the Latest Findings Suggest?

• Studies suggest that changes in ocean routes caused by tectonics, like the closing of the Central American Seaway, had a big effect on ocean circulation.
  • Central American Seaway is a body of water that once separated North America from South America,
• These changes may have led to the creation of two distinct water bodies:
  • Northern component water in the North Atlantic Ocean.
  • Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) in the Southern Ocean.
• Consequently, it is also hypothesised that there would have been large-scale changes in the Deep-Water Circulation (DWC) in the oceans across the world, impacting global climate and heat exchanges.

What is Deep Water Circulation (DWC)?

About:

• It refers to the movement of water in the deep ocean. It is driven by the density differences between water masses caused by variations in temperature and salinity.
• In the Earth's polar regions ocean water gets very cold, forming sea ice. As a consequence, the surrounding seawater gets saltier, because when sea ice forms, the salt is left behind.
• As the seawater gets saltier, its density increases, and it starts to sink. Surface water is pulled in to replace the sinking water, which in turn eventually becomes cold and salty enough to sink.
• This creates a circulation pattern that is known as the thermohaline circulation.

Significance:

• Heat Distribution: It helps to distribute heat around the globe, which helps to regulate the Earth's temperature and keep different regions from becoming too hot or too cold.
• Maintaining Carbon Dioxide Levels: It plays a critical role in controlling atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by helping to transport carbon from the surface to the deep ocean, where it can be stored for long periods of time.
• Shaping Ocean Currents: It is responsible for shaping the ocean's currents and the circulation patterns of the world's oceans.
  • These currents in turn influence the marine ecosystem, weather patterns, and coastal regions.
• Maintaining Sea level: It also has an impact on sea level, as warm water is less dense than cold water, therefore it can also affect sea level by redistributing heat and thermal expansion.

Deep-Water Circulations of the Indian Ocean:

• The Indian Ocean does not produce its own deep water, it only receives it from other sources such as the North Atlantic and Antarctic.
• The northern part of the Indian Ocean is located far away from the areas where deep water is formed and ocean routes, making it a good place to study the impact of ocean circulation changes.
• Studies have been done in the Indian Ocean to understand past deepwater circulation using records from iron-manganese crusts and authigenic neodymium isotope composition of sediment cores.
• These records have few limitations:
  • Iron-manganese crusts are found at deeper depths and are only bathed by Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), so they can only provide information about the history of AABW.
  • Authigenic neodymium isotope records are only available from the Bay of Bengal region, but they are also not accurate as the Himalayan rivers that flow into the Bay bring in a lot of neodymium particulates which can interfere with the results.
• However, recently Scientists have generated an authigenic neodymium isotope record from the Arabian Sea and reconstructed the DWC record of the Indian Ocean for the period from 11.3 million years ago (Miocene era) to 1.98 million years ago (Pleistocene era).

Water Crisis Due to Dam Sedimentation

Context: The United Nations Institute for Water, Environment and Health showed in its report that about 50,000 large dams across the world will lose 24-28% water storage capacity by 2050 due to sediment trapped in them.

• These water reservoirs have already lost about 13-19% capacity to sedimentation.
• The United Kingdom, Panama, Ireland, Japan and Seychelles will experience the highest water storage losses by 2050 from 35-50% of their original capacities.

What is Sedimentation with Respect to Dams?

• Sedimentation in dams refers to the accumulation of sediments, such as sand, gravel, and silt, at the bottom of a reservoir created by a dam.
• This sediment can build up over time, reducing the overall storage capacity of the reservoir.
• To maintain the capacity of the reservoir, the sediment may need to be removed through a process called dredging.

What is Dredging?

• Dredging is the process of removing sediments, such as sand, gravel, and silt, that has accumulated at the bottom of a reservoir.
• It can be done using various methods, such as mechanical dredging with a dredge machine or hydraulic dredging with a high-pressure water jet.
• The sediment removed during dredging is typically disposed of in a designated area away from the dam.

What are the Causes of Sedimentation?

• Erosion Upstream of the Dam: When soil and rock is washed away from the area upstream of the dam, it can be carried downstream and deposited in the reservoir.
• Runoff from Urban and Agricultural Areas: The increased use of land for human activities, such as urbanization and agriculture, can lead to increased runoff of sediment into the reservoir.
• Natural Processes: Sedimentation can also occur naturally through processes such as weathering and erosion.
• Climate Change: Climate change causes more intense and frequent rainfall events and also causes snowmelt earlier which can lead to increased erosion and sediment runoff into the reservoir.
• Deforestation: Trees help to hold the soil together and prevent erosion, so when forests are removed or degraded, there is a greater risk of sediment runoff into the reservoir.
• Poor Dam Maintenance: Lack of maintenance and repairs can also lead to sedimentation, as the dam's structure can become damaged, allowing sediment to enter the reservoir.

What are the Consequences of Dam Sedimentation?

Environmental:

• Reduced water storage capacity in the reservoir, which can lead to water shortages for downstream users and the loss of habitat for aquatic species.
• Increased risk of dam failure as the sediment can cause the dam to become unstable.

Economic:

• Increased cost of maintenance and dredging to remove the sediment.
• Loss of hydroelectric power generation due to reduced water flow through the dam.
• Reduced irrigation and water supply for agriculture and industry.
• Loss of revenue from recreational activities such as fishing and boating if the reservoir is no longer able to support them.

Damage to Dam Structure and Turbines:

• The accumulation of sediment at the bottom of the reservoir can cause scouring, or erosion, of the dam's foundation, which can weaken its structural integrity and increase the risk of failure.
• Sediment can also clog the turbine intake, which can reduce the efficiency of hydroelectric power generation and require costly maintenance to remove the sediment.
• The sediment can also cause abrasion on the turbine blades which can lead to damage and reduce their efficiency.
• While sediment helps maintain the aquatic ecosystem, poor management can lead to nutritional disbalances causing eutrophication and other disruptions in the water pool of the dam, as well as damages in habitations downstream.

Way Forward

• Regular Inspections and Monitoring: Dams are required to be regularly inspected and monitored for signs of structural weakness, erosion, and other potential issues. This includes both visual inspections and instrument-based monitoring, such as monitoring the dam's foundation for movement.
• Emergency Action Plans: Dams are required to have emergency action plans in place to respond to potential incidents, such as dam failure or excessive flooding. These plans outline the actions to be taken in the event of an emergency, including evacuation procedures and emergency response procedures.
• Environmental Impact Assessment: Dams are required to undergo environmental impact assessments (EIA) to evaluate the potential impacts of the dam on the surrounding environment. This includes assessing the impact on wildlife, aquatic species, and downstream communities.
• Public Consultation: Dams are required to involve public consultation and participation in the decision-making process, including providing information and opportunities for public comment on the proposed dam.

Survival of the Richest Report: The India Story

Context: According to the Oxfam’s Report “Survival of the Richest: The India story”, the richest 1% in India now own more than 40% of the country’s total wealth, while the bottom half of the population together share just 3% of wealth between 2012 and 2021.

• Oxfam International released the India supplement of its annual inequality report on the first day of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting at Davos.
• The report states that taxing India's ten-richest individuals at 5% could generate enough money to bring children back to school.

What are the Findings of the Report?

Gender Inequality:

• The report also highlighted gender inequality in India, stating that female workers earned only 63 paise for every 1 rupee earned by male workers.
• The situation is even worse for Scheduled Castes and rural workers, as they earned 55% and half of what the advantaged social groups earned respectively, between 2018 and 2019.

Social Inequality:

• Oxfam India stated that the country's marginalized communities such as Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, Women, and informal sector workers are continuing to suffer in a system that prioritizes the survival of the richest.
• The poor in India are paying disproportionately higher taxes, and spending more on essential items and services when compared to the rich.

Suggested Measures to Combat Inequality:

• To implement inheritance, property and land taxes, as well as net wealth taxes, in order to reduce inequality and generate revenue for social programs.
• To enhance the budgetary allocation of the health sector to 2.5% of GDP by 2025, as envisaged in the National Health Policy.
• To enhance the budgetary allocation for education to the global benchmark of 6% of GDP.
• To combat these problems, Oxfam urged higher taxes on the rich, through a combination of measures including one-time “solidarity” taxes and raising minimum rates for the wealthiest.
• Oxfam International has called for food companies that are making large profits as inflation has surged to face windfall taxes.
  • The idea behind this is that these companies have benefited from the rising prices of food and other essentials and should contribute a fair share to help address poverty and inequality.
  • This measure could generate revenue for governments to support social programs that help reduce poverty and inequality.
  • Portugal introduced a windfall tax on both energy companies and major food retailers, including supermarket and hypermarket chains.

Sources for Data:

• The report is based on data from multiple sources, including Forbes and Credit Suisse for information on wealth inequality and billionaire wealth in the country.
• Additionally, government sources like the National Sample Survey (NSS), Union budget documents, and parliamentary questions have been used to corroborate the arguments made throughout the report.

What is the Windfall Tax?

• Windfall taxes are taxes imposed on unexpected or extraordinary profits, such as those made during times of economic crisis, war, or natural disasters.
• Governments typically levy a one-off tax retrospectively over and above the normal rates of tax on such profits, called windfall tax.
• One area where such taxes have routinely been discussed is oil markets, where price fluctuation leads to volatile or erratic profits for the industry.

What is Oxfam International?

• Oxfam International is a confederation of 21 independent charitable organizations working together with partners and local communities in more than 90 countries.
• Its mission is to end the injustices that cause poverty.
• Oxfam works to find practical, innovative ways for people to lift themselves out of poverty and thrive.
• They save lives and help rebuild livelihoods when crisis strikes.
• They campaign so that the voices of the poor influence the local and global decisions that affect them.