Northeast Monsoon: A Crucial But Often Overlooked Factor

Introduction:

India’s monsoon season is crucial for agriculture.
Both southwest and northeast monsoons affect rainfall patterns, productivity, and climate change.
Accurate modeling of northeast monsoon is essential.

Northeast Monsoon:

Occurs after the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon.
Brings rain to parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and southern Karnataka.
Main source of rainfall for Tamil Nadu.
Accounts for only 11% of India’s annual rainfall.

Forecast for Post-Monsoon Rainfall:

IMD forecasts above-normal rainfall.
Significant impact on rice and maize production in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Past records show decreased agricultural production in years of deficient rainfall.

Rainfall Variability and Impact:

High variation in northeast monsoon rainfall (25% compared to 10% for southwest monsoon).
Leads to alternating deluges and dry spells.
Examples: Chennai floods in 2015 and water shortage in 2019.

Current Expectations and Challenges:

La Nina expected to support above-normal rainfall.
Global models struggled to forecast La Nina timing.
Improved forecasting systems have increased focus on northeast monsoon.
Need for more focus on modeling its impact on urban flooding.
Climate change uncertainty makes accurate forecasting essential.
Disaster management agencies must develop strategies to incorporate rainfall variability into budgets.

Conclusion:

Northeast monsoon is crucial for agriculture but often overlooked.
Enhanced forecasting and effective disaster management strategies are essential to mitigate risks associated with climate change and rainfall variability.

Caste in Jail: A Supreme Court Verdict Against Discrimination

Introduction:

Supreme Court ruling prohibits caste-based discrimination in the treatment of prisoners.
Requires a judgment from the highest court to end colonial practices and systems in prisons.

Lack of Action Since Independence:

Court has dealt with specific rules in jail manuals related to caste-based hierarchy.
Prison authorities and State governments have done little to address these issues since independence.
Contradicts the core philosophy of the Constitution: equality, non-discrimination, prohibition of untouchability, and abolition of forced labor.

Responding to the Writ Petition:

Court analyzed controversial rules and practices in jails in the backdrop of constitutional objectives.
Ruled such provisions unconstitutional and directed the revision of prison manuals.
Noted that colonial administrators linked caste with prison administration of labor, food, and treatment of prisoners.

Historical Context of Prison Administration:

Menial work and polluting occupations allocated to prisoners from lower castes.
Some prisoners expected to carry out their “hereditary trades” within prisons.
Caste privileges of a few were preserved.
Notion of “degrading or menial” occupations is an aspect of the caste system.
Provisions related to food and tasks assigned to prisoners from certain castes violated the constitutional prohibition against untouchability.

A Question on Rights:

Distribution of labor cannot be solely based on birth.
Violates the right to dignity and the right against forced labor and exploitation.
Court favors doing away with vague definitions of “habitual offenders.”

Conclusion:

State governments must respond to the verdict and end systemic discrimination in prisons.
This is an opportunity to dismantle discriminatory practices and ensure that prisons uphold the ideals of an equal society.