- BIG BENEFICIARIES CLAIM INABILITY TO REVEAL POLL BOND DONOR DETAILS
- Most large recipients of funding through electoral bonds have not shared any details about their donors This is regarding the submissions made to the Election Commission (EC)
- Under the direction of the Supreme Court in May 2019 and November 2023
- Including the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress, and the Trinamool Congress
- Why? The BJP, the largest recipient of electoral bonds, justified its move not to reveal the names of donors
- By citing the rules framed under the electoral bonds schemee — that the Supreme Court has struck down as unconstitutional These rules, it said, precluded parties from having to maintain donor details
- And so it claimed that it had not maintained a record of these particulars
- Only a handful of parties have revealed their electoral bond donors’ identities in their entirety These parties include the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and the Janata Dal (Secular)
2. RISING COSTS, DWINDLING DEMAND, WEAVERS FACE A SLUB IN BHAGALPUR, BIHAR’S SILK CITY
- Problems Decreased Demand: Fewer buyers for Bhagalpur silk sarees, leading to a drop in production.
- Rising Raw Material Costs: Prices of silk yarn (tussar, eri, mulberry, muga) have significantly increased
- Competition: Power-loom industry and imported silk threaten the traditional handloom market
- Low Wages: Weavers earn very little despite the effort and skill required
- Social Stigma: Weaving community (tanti) is considered part of the “Extremely Backward Classes”
- Lack of Government Support: Schemes haven’t benefited silk weavers or haven’t materialised
- Shifting Value Chain: Traditional local production has given way to buying yarn from other cities
- Consequences Many Weavers Leaving the Profession: People are migrating to other jobs or switching to power-looms
- Loss of Traditional Skills: Younger generations are less interested in learning handloom weaving
- Decline in GI-Certified Weavers: Government’s Geographical Indication (GI) tag is meant to protect quality, but fewer meet the criteria now
- Possible Solutions Government Support: Integrated weaver development scheme, promoting silk cluster initiatives
- Finding New Markets: Connecting weavers with potential buyers
- Current Situation Weavers’ Service Centre claims to be providing support programs, but weavers interviewed express dissatisfaction ○ The future of Bhagalpur’s handloom silk industry seems uncertain.
3. 21 TAMIL NADU FISHERMEN ARRESTED BY LANKAN NAVY, TWO TRAWLERS IMPOUNDED
- The issue between India and Sri Lanka regarding fishermen involves Crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL): Indian fishermen, particularly from Tamil Nadu, are accused of crossing into Sri Lankan waters (Exclusive Economic Zone – EEZ) to fish
- Trawling: Sri Lanka claims Indian fishermen use destructive fishing practices that harm the marine ecosystem in their waters
- Impact on Indian Fishermen Arrests and Detention: Sri Lankan Navy frequently arrests Indian fishermen who cross the IMBL, leading to detention and legal troubles.
- Livelihood at Stake: The Palk Bay is a traditional fishing ground for Indian fishermen, and these arrests disrupt their income.
- Frustration with Indian Government Fishermen feel the Indian government is not doing enough to protect their rights and secure access to traditional fishing areas
- Recent meetings with Chief Minister and External Affairs Minister haven’t yielded solutions
- The rules governing Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) are established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), an international treaty widely regarded as the “constitution of the oceans.”
- Rights and Jurisdiction of the Coastal State Exploration and exploitation: The coastal state has exclusive rights to explore and exploit resources within the EEZ, including fish, minerals, oil, and gas.
- Conservation and management: The coastal state is responsible for conserving and managing living resources within the EEZ.
- Marine scientific research: Other countries can conduct marine scientific research in the EEZ, but they need to obtain permission from the coastal state.
- Protection and preservation of the marine environment: The coastal state has the obligation to protect and preserve the marine environment within the EEZ.
- Rights and Freedoms of Other States Navigation: All states enjoy the freedom of navigation within the EEZ, which includes the freedom of overflight and the freedom to lay submarine cables and pipelines.
- Overflight: Aircraft of all states have the right to fly over the EEZ. Submarine cables and pipelines: All states have the right to lay submarine cables and pipelines on the seabed of the EEZ.
- Military activities: While not explicitly mentioned in UNCLOS, most countries interpret the convention as allowing innocent passage of military vessels through the EEZ.
- The EEZ extends 200 nautical miles (about 370 km) from the baseline used to measure the territorial sea (typically 12 nautical miles)
- If the EEZs of two countries overlap, they need to negotiate a maritime boundary agreement to determine which country has rights to resources in the overlapping area
- UNCLOS also defines other zones like the territorial sea and the continental shelf, each with its own set of rules
- Enforcement The coastal state has the right to enforce its laws and regulations within the EEZ, including those related to fisheries, pollution, and maritime security.
4. EU AND EGYPT AGREE TO A EURO 7.4 BILLION DEAL ON ENERGY, MIGRATION
- EU-Egypt Announce €7.4 Billion Deal: A new agreement between the European Union (EU) and Egypt Main Purpose
- The deal focuses on two main goals Boosting energy trade: This could lessen Europe’s reliance on Russian gas
- Reducing irregular migration: The EU wants to curb the flow of migrants to Europe
- Financial Aid The EU will provide Egypt with a €7.4 billion financial package:
- €5 billion in loans over four years
- €1.8 billion in investments Hundreds of millions for bilateral projects, including those related to migration
- Egypt’s Situation
- Egypt is facing a severe economic crisis It borders several conflict zones — including Libya, Gaza, and Sudan
- Egypt already hosts a large number of refugees and migrants (around 9 million)
- EU’s Concerns The EU wants cooperation on
- Security and counter-terrorism. Protecting borders, especially the southern border with Sudan.
- Addressing the situation in the Gaza Strip (though not the main focus)
- Similar Deals This agreement follows similar deals the EU made with other North African countries to control migration
- Possible Criticisms The deal might be seen as prioritising short-term migration control over human rights concerns
5. VIETNAM’S RICE BOWL ABOUT TO CRACK AS SALTWATER LEVELS RISE
- The Problem
- Rising sea levels, combined with droughts, tidal fluctuations, and reduced upstream freshwater flow, are causing saltwater intrusion into Vietnam’s Mekong Delta
- This is leading to increased crop losses, estimated at nearly $3 billion annually
- The Mekong Delta is a critical agricultural region, known as “Vietnam’s rice bowl,” and these losses threaten food security and livelihoods for millions
- Geographical Factors
- The Mekong Delta is a low-lying floodplain at the mouth of the Mekong River
- The delta is naturally vulnerable to saltwater intrusion during dry seasons due to its proximity to the sea
- However, human activities are amplifying the problem:
- Dams upstream restrict freshwater flow to the delta
- Deforestation in the watershed reduces water retention capacity
- Environmental Consequences
- Saltwater intrusion disrupts the delicate balance of freshwater and saltwater ecosystems
- It damages agricultural land, rendering it unsuitable for many crops
- This can lead to:
- Loss of biodiversity
- Soil degradation
- Increased pressure on remaining freshwater resources
- Climate change is expected to worsen the situation
- Possible Solutions
- Improved water resource management practices
- Releasing more freshwater from upstream dams during dry seasons § Investing in better irrigation systems to conserve water
- Restoring mangroves along the coast, which act as natural barriers against saltwater intrusion
- Developing salt-tolerant crop varieties
- Helping farmers adapt to changing conditions
- Overall, saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta presents a complex geographical and environmental challenge
- A multi-pronged approach is needed to address the issue and ensure the long-term sustainability of this vital agricultural region
6. ELECTIONS IN INDIA AND EU HOLDING UP TRADE PACT TALKS
- The challenges in finalising a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU) Reason for Delay: Upcoming elections in both India and the EU are hindering progress on the trade deal.
- Ireland’s View: Ireland supports the agreement and believes it would benefit both sides They acknowledge the need for compromise from both India (e.g., on agriculture) and the EU
- Expected Timeline: A new EU commission and political stability after Indian elections (likely in late 2024) could create an opportunity to resume talks in the fall
- Comparison with EFTA Deal: India recently signed an FTA with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, highlighting the delay with the EU
ONE LINER
- Andaman and Nicobar Command’s Historic All Women Maritime Surveillance Mission.On International Women’s Day and the 40th anniversary of INAS 318, the Andaman and Nicobar Command celebrated by mission, highlighting gender equality in defense.
- SAHITHYA AKADEMI AWARD for Translation 2024. Tamil Nadu based writer Kannaiyan Dattashanamurthy has been awarded the best translation award.
