Indian Express Editorial Summary
Editorial Topic : At a Standstill: Indian Cities and Monsoon Woes
GS-1 Mains Exam : Geography
Introduction
- Issue: For over 15 years, Indian cities consistently fail the monsoon test.
- Recurring Script: Annually, similar flooding and disruptions occur across various cities.
Status of Indian Cities During Monsoon 2024
- Delhi: Multiple submergences.
- Guwahati: Faced crippling floods.
- Maharashtra (including Pune and Mumbai): Torrential rains brought life to a standstill.
Common Issues in Affected Cities
- Outdated Drainage Systems: Inadequate for handling above-normal rainfall.
- Poor Planning: Lack of consideration for local hydrology.
- Limited Role of Civic Agencies: Focused primarily on relief and rescue rather than prevention.
- Casualties: Often due to overflowing nullahs, wall/building collapses, and electrocution.
- Example: In Pune, three people died from electric shocks in waterlogged areas.
- Delhi Incident: On July 22, a 26-year-old civil services aspirant was electrocuted; NHRC demanded a detailed report.
Climate Change Impact
- Increased Intensity: Climate change has intensified extreme weather events.
- Excess Rainfall: Pune and Mumbai received nearly 45% excess rainfall on a recent Thursday and Friday.
- Climate Action Plans:
- Mumbai: Has a Climate Action Plan, with a similar project underway in Pune.
- Implementation Issues: Lack of discussion on making cities climate-resilient and delays in action.
- BMC: Nodal agency for Mumbai’s plan, yet to fully implement it. Mumbai has not had municipal elections in two years.
Effective Flood Management: A Case Study
- Buenos Aires:
- Flood Management: Installed sensors in over 30,000 stormwater drains for early flood warnings.
Way Forward for Indian Cities
- Mix of Solutions: Need both natural and technological approaches.
- Basic Improvements: Focus on stormwater drain projects, which have been inconsistent in cities like Mumbai and Pune.
Conclusion
- Monsoon Woes Signal Urgency: Projects to improve drainage systems cannot be delayed.
- Learn from Global Experience: Indian cities must adopt effective flood management strategies to cope with increasing rainfall.
Indian Express Editorial Summary
Editorial Topic : Needed: Guardrails
GS-2 Mains Exam : Polity
Introduction
- Recent Ruling: A nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court ruled on a 25-year-old matter affecting India’s federal structure.
Case: Mineral Area Development Authority v M/s Steel Authority of India
- Supreme Court Ruling: States can tax mining activities and collect royalties, which are separate from taxes.
- Implication: States can now generate additional revenue from mining activities and land used for mining.
- Previous Ruling: Overturns the 1989 judgment (India Cement Ltd v State of Tamil Nadu) that stated “royalty is a tax” and limited states to collecting royalties only.
Key Issue: Is Royalty a Tax?
- Division of Powers: Under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution:
- State List (Entry 50): States have exclusive power to make laws on “Taxes on mineral rights” subject to Parliament’s limitations.
- Union List (Entry 54): Centre has power over “Regulation of mines and mineral development” as declared necessary by Parliament.
- Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDRA): Requires leaseholders to pay royalties to lessors.
- Supreme Court Decision: Royalty under Section 9 of the 1957 MMDRA is “not in the nature of tax”.
Dissenting Opinion
- Justice BV Nagarathna’s Dissent:
- Concerns: Potential for “unhealthy competition” among states for revenue.
- Impact: Uncoordinated and uneven increase in mineral costs, negatively affecting India’s economy.
- Federal System Risk: Warns of a potential “breakdown of the federal system” in mineral development.
Conclusion
- Policy Guardrails Needed: To prevent adverse consequences and ensure coordination between Centre and states.
- Political Dynamics: Fractious politics between Centre and states, and among states, necessitates careful policy design.
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