The Hindu Editorials Notes- Mains Sure Shot

No. 1.

Question – What is meant by the specificity of the Himalayan region in the context of the problem of integrating the northern mountains to the national mainstream.(250 words)

Context – The increasing unrest in the hilly regions concerning preservation of identity.

What is meant by the specificity of the Himalayan region?

• The specificity of the himalayan region means that the states that lie in the himalayan belt are structurally different from the Indian mainstream not only in terms of their topography but also social and economic structure. Hence, they need specific attention.
  The development models that work for the plains are not suitable for the states in the himalayan regions. These areas need ‘specific’ attention and specific solutions.

Why is it difficult to integrate them into the Indian mainstream/ why do they keep emphasising their unique identity?

• The roots to this are based on our continuance of the colonial perception of the Northern mountains.
• This forces them from time to time to assert that they are different from ‘us’ (those living in the plains) and have a uniqueness that they want to preserve.

So what was the perception?

• When these areas were colonised by the British, it was the first time that any power who had its prime base in the society and political-economy of the plains had penetrated so deep in their land.
• There were rulers, even before the British set their foot on these lands, like the Mughals who asserted their hegemony over these hilly areas but they never penetrated so deep in their society like trying to portray them as barbaric and themselves as superior and civilised.
• They tried to impose the laws that they had drafted for the plains over them and denied specificity to them.
• The natural reaction of people of the hilly tracts to this was resistance.
• The british saw India’s Northern mountains as either ideal ‘hill stations’ or a region of war-like tribesmen.
• We are continuing this even now. Despite knowing how different they are on social, political and economic specificities from the communities communities based in the riverine plains. It is the village or town of the Ganga plains, or along the Narmada or Krishna and Cauvery rivers, which has defined what it means to be ‘Indian’.
• The norms of what an ‘Indian village’ is, how its society is structured, how its economy is backward or in what ways does its political life work make no reference to the specificities of the mountain regions. These are at best imagined by the national mainstream as idyllic ‘hill stations’ peopled by ‘noble savages’, or, at worst, as wild regions inhabited by irrational blood-thirsty tribesmen.
• This perception also reflects in the policies that are made concerning the development of these regions. While what is actually needed is to acknowledge their uniqueness and keep their specificity in mind while forming policies and plans for development of these areas.

Is this problem of integration of hill states unique to India?

• The answer to this is no. since the cause of it is common that is the colonial perspective through which we view these regions and the common colonial approach that we apply, it is no surprise that most of the postcolonial nation states of Asia, be it India, Pakistan, China or Myanmar, have not been able to break out of this difficult relation with their mountain regions.

Way ahead/ need:

• There is a need to acknowledge their specificity and look more sensitively to their demands. Understanding why they are demanding whatever their demand is.
• There is a need to be more sensitive towards what kind of development projects are undertaken in these areas. To prevent the attitude of commodification of the mountain resources as the people of these regions are very much attached to the forests and the resources and don’t view them as commodities but as something that is a part of their living.
• To also give them special incentives and packages like “green bonus” or a payment for environmental services they provide to the nation.
• And above all to be sensitive in our approach towards their culture and respect their identity, and not try to see our culture as superior to theirs by branding their culture as ‘tribal’ in a derogatory sense.

No. 2.

There is another article titled ‘Smoke of vapor’. Here are the important highlights and additions:

Why in news?

• The Cabinet recently cleared the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Ordinance, 2019. Now, any production, import, export, sale (including online), distribution or advertisement, and storage of e-cigarettes is a cognisable offence punishable with imprisonment or fine, or both.

What are e-cigarettes?

• An e-cigarette is a battery-powered device that converts liquid nicotine into a mist, or vapor that the user inhales. This vapour contains aerosol among other things.
• There are several forms of electronic cigarettes— Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) like vapes, and e-hookahs etc.
  Now nicotine is an addictive substance that, according to studies, function as a “tumour promoter” and aid neuro-degeneration and some other compounds in the aerosol are toxic substances that have known deleterious effects.
• It’s long-term use is expected to increase the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and possibly cardiovascular disease and other diseases that are also associated with smoking.

Analysis:

• E-cigarettes were promoted to be used to aid smokers kick their habit. But according to WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), these devices can only be believed to succeed if smokers have moved on to an alternative nicotine source, and then stopped using that too.
• But what is happening on the contrary is that youngsters are being pulled to vaping (It is the action or practice of inhaling and exhaling the vapour produced by an electronic cigarette or similar device) as they consider it as a cool, fun, activity. So ironically, it serves to introduce them to smoking.
• The Centre’s move to ban these products shows a welcome intolerance of anything that impacts negatively on the health and wellness of the people of the country.
• It is also justified by the number of users. As per figures submitted to Parliament earlier this year, e-cigarettes and accessories valued at about $1,91,780 were imported to India between 2016 and 2019.

Way ahead:

• The government, already on the right path, must go all out to ensure that its ban is implemented earnestly.