Current Affairs – August 30, 2024

{GS1 – Geo – HG} Bonda Tribe

Context (TH): Bonda Tribe gets its first member to pursue an MBBS programme.

Bonda tribe is a Munda ethnic group that lives in the isolated hill regions of the Malkangiri district of southwestern Odisha, near the junction of the three states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh & Andhra Pradesh.
Also known as ‘Remo’ (meaning “people” in the Bonda language), they are included in the list of the 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) identified by the Government of India.
They are one of the oldest and most primitive in mainland India and are the first forest settlers in India.

{GS1 – IS – Issues} Sanitation Workers

Context (TH): Sanitation workers in India face hazardous conditions and systemic issues due to their seasonal work in stormwater drains and lack of recognition as manual scavengers.

Issues Faced by Sanitation Workers

Exposure to Health Risks: Workers handle sewer water and sludge with bare hands, leading to chronic illnesses such as leptospirosis and hepatitis.
Inadequate Protective Gear: National Safai Karamchari Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) Report – 65% of sanitation workers across India do not receive protective equipment.
Fatal Accidents: The work involves entering dangerous manholes and drains. Around 472 deaths were recorded from 2016 to 20 (Safai Karmachari Andolan Report).
Lack of Recognition: Many workers are excluded from benefits under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (PEMSR).
Low Wages: Workers earn about ₹30,000 for several months of dangerous work, which is insufficient.
Caste-Based Discrimination: Many workers come from marginalised communities, perpetuating poverty and limiting job opportunities.
Child Labour from these families often work from a young age, contributing to a cycle of poverty.

Legal and Institutional Framework

Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 (Revised): Abolished untouchability and made it a cognisable and non-compoundable offence.
Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993: Banned the employment of manual scavengers and deemed it a cognisable offence.
PEMSR Act, 2013: Banned manual scavenging and broadened the definition to include cleaning septic tanks and railway tracks.

Reasons for Continued Prevalence of Manual Scavenging in India

Social Deprivation: Generations of social stigma and exclusion trap individuals in manual scavenging, preventing them from accessing better opportunities despite welfare measures.
Poor Enforcement of Existing Laws: Inadequate enforcement of laws prohibiting manual scavenging allows the practice to persist.
Exploitation of Unskilled Laborers by contractors: In Mumbai, the cost to clean septic tanks ranges from ₹20,000 to ₹30,000, while labourers are paid only ₹300-500 per day.
Unorganized Labor Force: The lack of a unified union or organised group for manual scavengers weakens their political voice and bargaining power.
Lack of Empathy for the plight of manual scavengers, perpetuating their marginalised status.
Lack of Other Employment Opportunities and Rehabilitation force many into manual scavenging.
Continuance of Unsanitary Latrines: The existence of unsanitary latrines necessitates manual cleaning, as many areas lack proper sanitation infrastructure.
Caste-Based Discrimination enforces occupational segregation, relegating marginalised communities to manual scavenging. Approximately 97% of manual scavengers in India are from Dalit communities.

Government Schemes and Initiatives for Manual Scavengers

Namaste Scheme: Provide financial and technological support for mechanized sewer and septic tank cleaning to eliminate manual scavenging.
Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS): Provide financial assistance and rehabilitation for manual scavengers through self-employment opportunities.
National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC): Empower sanitation workers and their families by providing financial support and developmental programs.
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY): Ensure housing for all, including manual scavengers.
National Urban Sanitation Policy (NUSP): Promote comprehensive guidelines for urban sanitation and eliminate manual scavenging practices.

Way Forward

Strengthening Legal Protections: Reclassify hazardous cleaning workers as manual scavengers for better protection. Safai Karmachari Andolan advocates for their inclusion in legal lists.
Economic and Social Support: Increase wages and provide financial security to mitigate the exploitation of seasonal workers and implement educational programs for children of sanitation.
Independent bodies to monitor working conditions and ensure compliance with labour laws.
Infrastructure Improvements: Invest in modernising drainage systems to reduce the reliance on manual cleaning. For example, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation uses robots like Bandicoot.
Social Reforms: Address the systemic issues related to caste discrimination to break the cycle of generational poverty. Implementing caste-neutral hiring practices and promoting inclusivity.

{GS2 – IR – India-China} India-China Border Affairs Meeting

Context (TH): The 31^st meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held in Beijing,

It focuses on resolving the issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) through diplomatic channels.

Key Discussions

Constructive Exchange of Views: The meeting involved a “frank, constructive, and forward-looking exchange of views” on the situation along the LAC.
Intensified Diplomatic and Military Contact: India and China agreed to intensify diplomatic and military contact to expedite the resolution of outstanding issues.
Leadership and Representation: The high-level representation underscores both countries’ importance in resolving the border issues.
Commitment to Peace and Tranquillity: Both sides decided to jointly uphold peace and tranquillity in border areas through bilateral agreements, protocols & understandings.

Significance of the meeting

Bilateral Relations: Regular meetings help manage complex and sensitive border issues. The progress in negotiations is significant in the context of the upcoming BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia
Border Management: The mechanism ensures that both countries adhere to agreed protocols, thereby minimising the chances of misunderstandings along the LAC.
Regional Stability: A peaceful resolution to the LAC issues would contribute to a more stable regional environment, benefiting both nations and their neighbours.
Remaining Friction Points: Legacy friction points such as Depsang Plains and Demchok remain unresolved, while some resolution has been achieved in areas like Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso.

Read more > China’s ‘Xiaokang’ Border Defence Villages along LAC , Growing Trade Deficit with China

{GS2 – Polity – Bodies – Constitutional} Systemic Disempowerment of State Election Commissions (SECs)

Context (TH): India poses a significant threat to grassroots democracy, particularly ensuring timely and fair elections to panchayats and urban local governments (ULGs).

Despite the constitutional mandate provided by Articles 243K and 243ZA, SECs often face challenges in exercising their authority, leading to delays in elections and undermining the democratic process.

Challenges

Disputes with State: The Karnataka SEC filed a contempt petition against the Karnataka government for delaying the delimitation process for panchayat elections.
Litigation and Delays: SECs had to take legal action to enforce their mandates. E.g. The Supreme Court struck down an ordinance by the Andhra Pradesh government that hindered panchayat elections.
CAG Findings on Urban Local Governments: 70% of ULGs did not have elected councils, often due to the disempowerment of SECs.
Lack of Empowerment in Ward Delimitation: Only 11 out of 34 States and Union Territories have empowered their SECs to conduct ward delimitation, affecting 35% of India’s population.

Necessary Electoral Reforms

Par with Election Commission of India: The Supreme Court in Kishan Singh Tomar vs Municipal Corporation of Ahmedabad emphasised the need for empowering SECs similarly to the ECI.
A three-member SEC, appointed by a committee comprising the Chief Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and Chief Justice of the High Court, is recommended.
Fixed Delimitation Intervals: Delimitation of ward boundaries and reservations should occur at fixed intervals, such as once every ten years, to prevent arbitrary actions by State governments.
Empowerment in Delimitation and Reservations: SECs should have exclusive powers over ward delimitation and reservations for seats in local governments, including positions like mayors and presidents.
Addressing Malpractices in Local Elections: SECs should be entrusted with the election of key positions within local governments to prevent malpractices by State-appointed officers. E.g. The 2024 Chandigarh Municipal Corporation Mayor election highlights the need for SEC oversight to ensure fairness.

Context (TH): The Supreme Court of India recently addressed the issue of misleading advertisements in the alternative medicine sector, particularly focusing on Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani products.

Issues Faced

Regulatory Challenges: The Ministry of AYUSH has allowed businesses to register various products as “Ayurvedic” without proper scrutiny. E.g. The Ministry granted and then cancelled a Bengaluru company’s license to sell milk as “Ayurvedic proprietary medicine.
Supreme Court’s Interventions: The Court ordered Patanjali Ayurveda to publish media advertisements apologizing for its actions, but the effectiveness of such measures remains questionable.
Inconsistent Quality Control in the alternative medicine sector, with varying standards across manufacturers and products. The Ministry’s attempt to bypass Rule 170 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, has undermined regulatory enforcement against misleading advertisements.
Impact on Public Health: The growing market for alternative medicines, often fuelled by unsubstantiated claims, threatens to undermine trust in the healthcare system.

Way Forward

Strengthening Regulatory Framework: Implementing stricter standards for registering products as Ayurvedic and enhancing the role of regulatory bodies in monitoring compliance.
Empowering Regulatory Bodies to enforce quality control measures and protect them from political interference to ensure adherence to established quality control rules.
Improving Advertisement Regulations: Advertisement regulations should be tightened, with mandatory disclosures and penalties for false claims. E.g. The Supreme Court’s demand for self-declarations by advertisers should be accompanied by stringent monitoring and enforcement actions.
Promoting Consumer Awareness to educate the public about the risks associated with unverified alternative medicines and the importance of relying on scientifically proven treatments.

Context (TH): Petition for the Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019 has garnered significant support.

Violence is the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, that results in injury, death, psychological harm, or deprivation (World Report on Violence and Health, WHO).
Healthcare settings encompass all services, interactions, and places where healthcare occurs, including mobile services like those provided by ASHA workers.

About Violence

Forms: Includes physical, sexual, mental, and emotional violence of varying severity.
Vulnerability Factors: The risk of violence is higher for certain demographics, such as young females, marginalised groups, and healthcare workers in lower power roles.
The perpetrator-victim dynamic is intricate, with the violence inflicted by patients, visitors, or other healthcare workers, including increased risks for ASHA workers and midwives due to inadequate security.

Societal Influences on Healthcare Violence

Cultural Factors

Patriarchal Abuse: Female doctors face significant gender-based abuse; in a study, globally 79.6% of females reported verbal abuse.
Caste Discrimination: Lower-caste healthcare workers, especially Dalit nurses (as seen in Tamil Nadu), face routine verbal abuse and are assigned dangerous tasks.
Mental Health Stigma: Psychiatric patients suffer neglect and harsh treatment in inhumane conditions. A 2020 Human Rights Watch report recorded widespread abuse in mental health facilities.

Legal Factors

Weak Protections: Existing laws are poorly enforced, leaving healthcare workers vulnerable. For instance, a Maharashtra doctor was assaulted in 2017 with minimal consequences for the attackers.
Corruption Shields Offenders: Legal loopholes allow influential individuals to evade justice.

Political Factors

Politicized Healthcare: Underfunding in marginalised areas increases tension & violence, as seen during COVID-19, where misinformation led to attacks on healthcare workers in politically neglected regions.
Poor Policy Execution: Weak governance results in ineffective protection for healthcare workers. The 2019 Healthcare Bill remains poorly implemented, allowing continued violence in certain states.

Challenges

Inadequate Legal Protections: Many regions lack robust laws or fail to enforce existing ones, leaving healthcare workers vulnerable.
Insufficient Security Measures: Many healthcare settings lack adequate security systems, making workers susceptible to violence.
Cultural Barriers: Societal norms and stigmas can hinder the recognition and reporting of violence, particularly against marginalised groups.
Lack of Awareness and Training: Insufficient training on violence prevention and management leads to inadequate responses to incidents.
Weak Support Systems: Limited access to counselling and legal aid for victims of workplace violence exacerbates their difficulties.
Political and Economic Constraints: Budgetary and political issues can impede the implementation of comprehensive safety and support measures in healthcare settings.

Way Forward

Strengthen Legal Protections: Implement laws like Australia’s Occupational Health and Safety Act, which includes provisions to protect healthcare workers from violence.
Adopt Global Best Practices: Implement stringent policies similar to Taiwan’s 2017 legislation, which includes severe penalties for violence against healthcare workers.
Develop Comprehensive Policies: Establish guidelines akin to the UK’s Health and Safety Executive protocols, covering all workplace violence with specific measures for healthcare settings.
Increase Security Measures: Adopt comprehensive security measures, including surveillance systems and security personnel.
Promote Awareness: Offer training programs and resources similar to Canada’s Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, focusing on violence prevention and management in healthcare.
Strengthen Support Systems: Support services for victims of workplace violence, including counselling and legal aid, as seen in Sweden’s Work Environment Authority.

{Prelims – In News} SHe-Box Portal

Context (TH): The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched SHe-Box portal.

SHE-Box portal is a centralised portal for registering and monitoring complaints of sexual harassment of women at the workplace.
It serves as a centralised repository of information related to Internal Committees (ICs) and Local Committees (LCs) formed, encompassing both the government and private sectors.
It offers a common platform to file complaints, track their status, and ensure a time-bound processing of complaints by ICs.