India’s Malnutrition Shame,Global Nutrition Report 2015 by the International Food Policy Research Institute,

The latest edition of the Global Nutrition Report 2015 by the International Food Policy Research Institute, released on Tuesday, brings back the concerns over malnutrition into sharp focus. In July, the government of India, after much avoidable controversy, released malnutrition (used synonymously as undernutrition) figures from the Rapid Survey on Children (RSoC) data that was collected in 2013-14. This dataset was keenly awaited as it provides a nationwide assessment after the third round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3), which is nearly a decade old now. The RSoC data also assumes significance as the world adopts the Sustainable Development Goals. Goal 2.2 seeks to end all forms of malnutrition by 2030, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under five years of age.

The RSoC was conducted by the ministry of women and child development with  technical support from Unicef. It found 29.4 per cent of children (aged less than three years) to be underweight (low in weight for their age), while 15 per cent were wasted (low weight for their height) and 38.7 per cent were stunted (low in height for age). On the face of it, this compares well with the NFHS-3 data, in which the corresponding figures were 40.4 per cent (underweight), 22.9 per cent (wasted) and 44.9 per cent (stunted). But in absolute terms, the current levels of underweight and stunted children are abysmally high and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s assertion
that malnutrition is a “national shame” is still valid.

A civil society collective appealed to policymakers in a press release on July 23 to “declare malnutrition as a medical emergency to save India’s children dying of hunger”. The Union minister for tribal affairs on August 4 said that his ministry “will collaborate with Ramdev and Balkrishna to identify and document medicinal herbs helpful in the treatment [emphasis added] of malnutrition”. But ready-to-use therapeutic food was introduced as a “treatment” to combat this medical emergency nearly two decades back.

The moot question is: can malnutrition be “treated”? Current mainstream global notions draw upon African experiences, where severe acute malnutrition (SAM) has been triggered by acute crises, such as drought, crop failure and civil wars. Classical SAM is a medical emergency, carries with it a high risk of mortality, and requires not just therapeutic feeding but other medical inputs. This global wisdom was bought off-the-shelf by national experts and Indian strategies and guidelines continue to be largely clinical, essentially seeking to treat malnutrition.

The predominant form of malnutrition in India is significantly different from classical SAM and standardised protocols for treatment are not as effective in the Indian context, where longer durations are required for achieving targeted weight gains. This is on account of the high levels of underlying stunting. Stunting signifies chronic undernutrition and has no scope for “cure” in a therapeutic mode. Its levels in India are higher than in Africa, and exceedingly so among chronically poor populations. Severe chronic malnutrition (SCM) in children is characterised by stunted growth and is a potentially less serious but continual form of malnutrition. SCM is generally an outcome of latent poverty, chronic food insecurity, poor feeding practices and protracted morbidities, but rarely a direct cause of mortality. In short, stunted children are hungry but not sick.

Chronic malnutrition requires a far wider spectrum of programmatic interventions beyond clinical management. Multi-sectoral actions are needed to combat multi-dimensional deprivations. Simultaneously, there is an urgent need for promoting practices to improve the quality of local diets, improving child-feeding practices, reducing exposure to illnesses, and paediatric care services. This would need a broad-based commitment of resources as well as the creation and nurturing of local capacities and leaderships.

Despite recent gains, malnutrition continues to be a national emergency; though not a medical one. The National Nutrition Mission (a multi-sectoral programme earmarked for 200 high-burden districts) has not taken off in any meaningful manner. The penchant for a magic bullet to treat and cure malnutrition draws attention away from the Indian epidemiological reality. Policymakers and opinion leaders are increasingly impatient with the tardy progress of the current set of interventions. The way forward requires a reorientation of Indian research to inform policy and practice and change the current tenor of policy discussions. The Make in India call should apply no less to research and practice.

How refugees impact Europe

President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker recently threatened financial sanctions against European Union (EU) member countries which fail to observe asylum procedures over the 1,60,000 refugees who attempted to enter countries on the periphery of Europe, namely: Italy, Greece and Hungary. Considering Hungary has failed to regulate the entry of these refugees owing to weak border controls, it has not adhered to the Dublin Regulation 2013. The Regulation states that asylum-seekers need to apply for refugee status in the country of their arrival.

In reality, it is difficult to adhere to this requirement since many refugees are not registered formally or even statistically considering Italy, Hungary and Greece have become chokepoints to cope with over 3,50,000 refugees and economic migrants this year. Evidently, their border control facilities have collapsed under the phenomenal pressure with multiple 'leaks' that threaten south-eastern Europe's border stability and have opened a Pandora's Box in Europe.

Most refugees seek to reach Germany, Denmark or Sweden as main target destinations owing to their strong social welfare systems. In a European context, the larger problem is that only some states like Germany are open to absorb refugees while other east European countries prefer to push these asylum seekers and economic migrants into the more prosperous states. Though the EU comprises 28 member countries, only some of them take their responsibility to manage the refugee crisis while others do not do so.

Today, Germany grapples with an unprecedented influx of refugees which could either be perceived as a boon or bane. Germany's demographic profile suggests a greying population that is starved of skilled human resources in several sectors which this flood of refu-gees could provide. However, this comes with a caveat in terms of social integration and internal security for Germany.

The emerging wave of refugees from Syria, Iraq and other West Asian countries are quite different from earlier refugee inflows given the magnitude of their numbers. It is ironical that Muslim refugees from Iraq and Syria choose to opt for Germany -- a part of Christian Europe. Their ethnic diversity makes them vulnerable to religious persecution in their home regions that compels them to exit. Therefore, to what extent would these refugees be able to adapt to a Christian-based culture in Europe? Germany is not new to refugees who come as political asylum seekers from various countries and cultural backgrounds. In the post-Second World War period, the trend was set by East German refugees who obtained political asylum in West Germany. However, their ethnic, linguistic and cultural commonality enabled them integrate easily.

Since then, a host of non-European refugees has entered Germany after reunification which included people from Tibet, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Albania, Eritrea, Somalia and Palestine who were assimilated into German society. Collectively, these non-European refugees form a miniscule minority of the German population, and therefore they posed no serious problem to their host country.

Germany is a refugee-friendly country due to historical reasons related to the Second World War. The post-war West German Constitution in order to make amends for the trauma of the Second World War crimes went out of the way to promote human rights. This is evident from Article 16a of the Basic Law grants victims of political persecution an individual right of asylum. The fundamental right of asylum thus has high priority and expresses Germany's willingness to fulfil its historical and humanitarian obligation to admit refugees.

The German Office for Immigration and Refugees recorded over 1, 73,000 new applications for asylum in 2014, a 58 per cent increase compared to the previous year. They have scrutinised almost 1, 29,000 files and Syria ranks highest with 40,000 refugees, followed by 17,000 from Serbia and 13,000 from Eritrea. Of these 28,000 refugees are from countries declared "safe" by the German Ministry of the Interior, besides Serbia, Macedonia and Bosnia. It is well known that "welfare tourists", Roma populations who move to Germany only to avail its social benefits and therefore their applications are rejected automatically.

'Breathtaking' challenge

While the Bavarians have welcomed 20,000 refugees from Syria and Iraq in an unprecedented move only a few days ago, the German state has yet to take an official position on the issue. A steadfast German Chancellor Angela Merkel called this challenge "breathtaking" and tried to reassure German citizens that the crisis was manageable. The humane approach of the Bavarian people towards these refugees complicates the Schengen Agreement that dictates intra-EU movement of peoples across 26 countries.

Today, Europe is overwhelmed by the tsunami wave of refugees who await their fate on its southern borders and have flooded over into the core. These refugees are bound to cause major social, political, cultural, economic and demographic upheavals in an ethnically homogenous Europe. The consequences of this demographic distortion may result in a re-conceptualisation of a borderless Europe. The EU is synonymous with economic prosperity and trade regulations, which provide the cohesion of 'good friends in good times'. Till now, the strength of the EU has not been tested in a humanitarian crisis of this nature and magnitude. Europe's territorial integrity was not impacted on a major scale -- except for the Kosovo crisis and the collapse of Yugoslavia along with the USSR.

Whether the EU would emerge stronger as a politico-economic regional organisation or not after it copes with the recent refugee crisis based on common treaties and borders, remains to be seen. Importantly, the EU would have to formulate a border management policy related to Europe's outer perimeter which runs along the Mediterranean coastline from where most of the sea-borne refugees enter Europe from time to time.

UN award for leadership on climate change

United Nations: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been declared as one of the winners of the UN Champions of the Earth award in recognition of her “leadership and vision” in both making climate change an issue of national priority and advocating for a global response.

“Serving as Prime Minister of Bangladesh – one of the world’s least-developed countries – Sheikh Hasina has proven that investing in climate change is conducive to achieving social and economic development,” said the announcement issued by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which confers the awards.

UNEP noted that Bangladesh is one of the world’s most populated countries, with over 159 million people. It is also one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Cyclones, floods and droughts have long been part of the country’s history, but they have intensified in recent years.

“Through a number of forward-looking policy initiatives and investments, Bangladesh has placed confronting the challenge of climate change at the core of its development,” UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said. “These initiatives, from climate change adaptation measures to ecosystem preservation legislation, mean that current and future generations of Bangladeshis are better prepared to address climate change risks and reverse the impacts of environmental degradation,” he said.

He added that Hasina has demonstrated “leadership and vision” in both changing climate change an issue of national priority and advocating for an ambitious global response. “As an early adopter and advocate of climate change adaptation policy, she continues to be an example to follow as world leaders seek to take action on climate change as part of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris climate conference in December,” he added.

The award cites, among other initiatives, the progressive Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan of 2009, which made the South Asian nation the first developing country to frame such a coordinated action plan. Bangladesh is also the first country to set up its own Climate Change Trust Fund, supported by nearly USD 300 million of domestic resources from 2009-2012.

The award also noted that the Bangladesh government currently earmarks 6 to 7 per cent of its annual budget – someUSD 1 billion – on climate change adaptation, with only 25 per cent of this coming from international donors. In addition, under her leadership, the Bangladesh Constitution was amended in 2011 to include a constitutional directive to the State to protect the environment and natural resources for current and future generations.

“As one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, Bangladesh understands the importance of addressing the impact of climate change. The country is already experiencing its detrimental effects, and it is often the poorest and marginalised who feel it most,” said Robert Watkins, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh. The awards will be handed out at a special ceremony on September 27 here at the close of the Sustainable Development Summit.

Expert Group on tackling Cyber Crime submitted its report

Union Home Minister asked for immediate processing and its implementation

An Expert Group constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Dec.24, 2014 submitted its report on “Roadmap for Effectively Tackling Cyber Crimes in the Country” to the Ministry of Home Affairs after examining the global practices on cyber crime prevention.

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh took a presentation from the Members of the Committee here today which was also attended by the Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary, Shri Rajiv Mehrishi, Home Secretary, Shri Ashok Prasad, Secretary (IS), members of the Expert Group and senior officers of MHA.

Shri Rajnath Singh expressed keen interest in the issues relating to cyber crime and its impact on the public. He extensively dwelled on the criminal and other activities on the internet which directly impacted on the general public particularly women and children and the establishment of appropriate infrastructure to redress such grievances in convenient and time bound manner.

The Home Minister expressed serious concern on the growth in cyber crime as revealed by the statistics of National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB). Shri Rajnath Singh directed the MHA to come up with concrete proposal regarding infrastructure, research, people friendly interface so that the matter could be considered at the highest level in a well defined timeframe.

The five-member Expert Study Group comprising of Dr. Gulshan Rai, National Cyber Security Coordinator, Professor N. Balakrishnan, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Dr. Rajat Moona, Director General, Center for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), Pune, Shri B.J. Srinath, Director General Cert-In, Dr. Manindra Aggarwal, Professor Computer Science, IIT Kanpur and Dr D. Das, Professor IIIT Bangalore and Shri Kumar Alok, Joint Secretary (Centre State), made its recommendations on measures required to control cyber crime including legal and technical measures.

The Expert Group was set up with the main objective of:

I. Preparing a Road Map for effectively tackling the Cyber Crime in the country and give suitable recommendations on all its facets.

II. Recommending possible partnerships with Public and Private Sector, NGOs, International Bodies and International NGOs. 

Ken-Betwa to be Model Link Project of Inter-Linking of Rivers

Ken-Betwa to be Model Link Project of Inter-Linking of Rivers Says Uma Bharti

Sixth Meeting of Special Committee for Inter-Linking of Rivers Held

Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti has said that various clearances for Ken-Betwa link project are in the advance stage of processing and the Government will start implementing this National Project as model link project of Inter Linking of Rivers (ILRs) programme after obtaining the statutory clearances. Addressing the Sixth meeting of Special Committee for inter linking of river held in New Delhi today, the Minister said interlinking of rivers progamme is very important for enhancing water and food security of the country and would be very helpful in providing water to water short, drought prone and rainfed areas. She said the Government is committed for implementation of ILR programme with the consensus and cooperation of the concerned State governments.

The Minister also informed the meeting that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Par-Tapi-Narmada link project has been completed by National Water Development Agency (NWDA) and submitted to Governments of Gujarat and Maharashtra on August 25, 2015. She said this is the third link project after Ken-Betwa and Damanganga-Pnjal for which the DPR has been completed. Sushri Bharti said the issue of water sharing between Gujarat and Maharashtra in respect of Damanganga-Pinjal and Par-Tapi-Narmada link project is now required to be taken up on priority. She said “I would therefore urge both the government of Gujarat and Maharashtra to address the issue of water sharing and arrive at an agreement so that the implementation of these two projects can be taken up at the earliest”. The Minister said task force for interlinking of rivers constituted by the Ministry has started its working and this will help in bringing speedy consensus amongst the States on the link projects.

The Minister told the meeting that a team of senior officers of her Ministry led by Special Secretary had a meeting with Chief Secretary of West Bengal at Kolkata recently and discussed the proposal of Sankosh-Mahanadi link system which comprises four links namely Sankosh-Teesta-Ganga, Ganga-Damodar-Subarnarekha, Subarnarekha-Mahanadi and Farakka-Sunderbans. The proposed link system would provide large irrigation benefits of about 10.5 lakh hact. besides domestic/industrial water supply to West-Bengal. The State Government has been requested to agree to the proposal and to furnish their suggestions for its improvement.

The Minister also remembered Shri Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya on his birthday today. Paying rich tributes to him Sushri Bharti said he was a visionary engineer and statesman who played a key role in building many dams and reservoirs of modern India.

Addressing the meeting Shri Chandra Prakash Chaudhary, Minister of Water Resources of Jharkhand said that Prefeasibility Report (PFR) of Sankh-Southkoel and Southkoel-Subarnarekha river link projects prepared by NWDA has been put on hold because of some objections by Government of Odisha. He said so far no meeting of the sub group constituted to consider these objections has taken place though all the details sought by this group has been provided by the State Government of Jharkhand. Reacting to this the Union Minister for Water Resources directed that the meeting of sub group should be called within ten days. Shri Chaudhary also referred to PFR of Barakar-Subarnarekha river link and said that DPR of this project could not be taken up because of the non clearance from Damodar Valley River Regulation Committee (DVRRC). He urged the Minister to call a meeting of DVRRC at the earliest. The Minister further requested to declare these projects as national projects so that adequate funds were available for their implementation. He also requested to fix a time frame for implementation of these projects.

Referring to the restoration of state’s share of water from surplus water of Mahanadi and Godavari, Shri MB Patil, Minister for Water Resources of Karnataka said that despite persistent efforts of Karnataka, the concern of his State has not been brought back into focus either by Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation or NWDA. He said that PFR of Ponnaiyar (Krishnagiri) –Palar link in Tamil Nadu as prepared by NWDA has taken into account an import of 271 Mcum (9.57tmc) upto the upstream of Krishnagiri dam available from drinking water supply of Bengaluru city. Shri Patil said in view of the right to use the regenerated water by Karnataka from Bengaluru water supply which is being drawn from Cauvery River, it would have been appropriate not to have considered the 271 Mcum in the water balance study in favour of Tamil Nadu. He was of the opinion that reckoning of the regeneration flow by NWDA in its water balance study ignoring Karnataka’s interests is not correct.

Addressing the meeting Shri Vijay Shivtare, Minister of Water Resources of Maharashtra said that with reference to Damanganga –Pinjal link project his State should be allocated water at 75% dependability instead of 90% dependability and as such, the size of the tunnels/water conveyance system should be designed to suit diversion of such quantum of water, ensuring optimum use of diverted water. He suggested that during water deficit year, distress should be shared by Maharashtra and Gujarat in proportion of water allocation. Shri Shivtare was of the opinion that Damanganga- Pinjal link project should be declared as nation project and joint implementation board similar to Ken-Betwa link needs to be constituted early. He informed the meeting that the DPR of Par-Tapi Narmada link has been submitted to his Government by NWDA on September 02, 2015 and the State Government will send it comments to NWDA within two months time. 

Ministry of Information & Broadcasting today launched the Headend In The Sky (HITS) digital platform initiative, under the brand name NXT DIGITAL promoted by Hinduja Group.

 Shri Arun Jaitley launches NXT DIGITAL - Headend-In-The-Sky platform

Shri Arun Jaitley, Union Minister of Finance, Corporate Affairs and Ministry of Information & Broadcasting today launched the Headend In The Sky (HITS) digital platform initiative, under the brand name NXT DIGITAL promoted by Hinduja Group. Speaking on the occasion Shri Jaitley said that in view of the multiple carriage technologies the launch would provide consumers with wider choice. Shri  Jaitley launched the platform, by pressing a button which would provide viewers access to over 500 television channels of their choice - international, national, regional and local; besides a host of other services like e-applications and TV everywhere. Customers in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Punjab and Karnataka will now have greater access to channels of their choice with other states soon joining in. The platform is expected to give a fillip to the Digital India initiative and Make In India mission.

The NXT DIGITAL Broadcast Centre is a state-of-the-art next-generation MPEG-4 facility that has been designed and purpose-built to provide a variety of services to the cable distribution fraternity and their customers all across India. The technology is future-proof and would offer enhanced television experiences for the subscriber whilst allowing the cable fraternity to manage their networks effortlessly using new-age “cloud” solutions, with a minimal investment. The back-end technology systems are based on sophisticated and complex architectures that can even deliver unique services like television access on mobile devices and tablets as well as information dissemination services to laser-targeted localities by various agencies for Emergency Alerts etc.

Through NXT DIGITAL’s uniquely designed and assembled COPE (Cable Operators Premises Equipment), Digitalizing of Indian cities and the space of broadcast distribution would help India register quantum growth. The initiative will enable thousands of entrepreneurial cable operators to make a transition from analog to digital across an estimated 120 million homes in India.  Not only would it help cable operators and MSOs take their businesses to the next level but would also ensure compliance with the guidelines of the various regulatory bodies. Through them it seeks to empower the end consumer as the customer would have access to a new digital television experience.

30th Anniversary of the Vienna Convention and 21st International Day for Preservation of Ozone Layer Celebrated

30th Anniversary of the Vienna Convention and 21st International Day for Preservation of Ozone Layer Celebrated

“If human intervention has caused climate change, with human intent and intellect and with new research and technology, we will win this war against climate change”, the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar said here today. Addressing a gathering drawn from various schools in and around Delhi on the occasion of celebration of 21st International Day for the preservation of the Ozone layer, Shri Javadekar also said that this win give the people a better life that they deserve. The Minister said that Ozone layer is the protective blanket provided by Nature. The theme of the celebration is "30 Years of Healing the Ozone Together”. The theme is supported by the slogan “Ozone: All there is between you and UV”.

The Minister administered a pledge to the gathering on the occasion. A booklet titled “Montreal Protocol: India’s Success Story” were also released on the occasion. A number of competitions were organized for school children as part of the celebration of 30th Anniversary of the Vienna Convention for the protection of the Ozone Layer and the 21st International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone layer. These include poster design competition, painting competition and slogan-writing competition

Prizes to the winners of these competitions were presented at the function. The poster, painting and slogan and the 17th edition of the “The Montreal Protocol: India’s Success Story”, which contains relevant aspects of India’s commitment to the Protocol, were also released on the occasion.

Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Ashok Lavasa and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Susheel Kumar also addressed the gathering. Joint Secretary, MoEF&CC, Shri Manoj Kumar Singh welcomed the participants, while Dr. A Duraiswamy, Director Ozone Cell, MoEF&CC delivered the vote of thanks.

Background to 30th anniversary of Vienna Convention and 21st International Day for the preservation of Ozone layer 

The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone layer was signed on March 22, 1985 and the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone layer was signed on September 16, 1987. India became Party to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer on March 18, 1991 and the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone layer on June 19, 1992.

The UN General Assembly on January 23, 1995 adopted a resolution 49/114, which proclaims September 16 as the International Day for the preservation of the Ozone layer, to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone Layer, which was signed on September 16, 1987. Since 1995, this day is celebrated every year as the International Day for the preservation of the Ozone layer and commemorates the date of signing of the Montreal Protocol.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Convention for the protection of the Ozone layer, an important milestone for the protection of the Ozone layer. The 30th anniversary of the Vienna Convention and the 21st International Day for the preservation of the Ozone layer are being celebrated by India on September 16, 2015.

The Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone layer has been recognized as the most successful international environment treaty in history. Another testimony to its remarkable accomplishments, the Montreal Protocol has received universal ratification; all countries in the world have now ratified this landmark agreement. This brings together the global community to protect the Ozone layer.

The Montreal Protocol, which has been in operation for twenty eight years had an extraordinary international cooperation and has led to a complete phase-out of production and consumption of several ODSs. As of January 1, 2015 the production and consumption of key ODSs like CFCs, CTC halons, Methyl Chloroform and Methyl Bromide have already been phased-out globally. This has not only protected the stratospheric Ozone layer, but it has also immensely benefitted the climate system. The ODSs are also potent Green House Gases (GHGs) and these gases were not included in Kyoto basket of gases for emission controls, as these are already being phased out under ambit of the Montreal Protocol. As per expert estimates, GHG emissions have been reduced by more than 11 Giga tonnes CO2 equivalent per year through the ODS phase-out activities of the Montreal Protocol.

India, being a Party to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone Layer, have been sharing the global concern for protecting the Ozone layer and phasing out of the ODSs. These substances are used in a number of applications, including industrial and pharmaceutical aerosols, refrigeration and air-conditioning equipments, foam manufacturing, fire extinguishing equipment, metal-cleaning, garment cleaning, soil fumigation, quarantine and pre-shipment applications etc.

The Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, have been put in place to control production, consumption, export, import and trade with the non-Parties to the Montreal Protocol. These Rules are being enforced under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 with effect from 19th July, 2000.

These Rules have been amended from time to time to facilitate execution of national phase-out plans so as to meet the reduction targets as specified in the Protocol. These Rules have been further amended to align with the accelerated phase-out of HCFCs and the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Amendment Rules, 2014 has been published in the Gazette of India in April, 2014.