HIV Drugs Shortage

Why in News?

Recently, India is witnessing the shortage of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) Drugs, certain Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centres.

• The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is the nodal agency responsible for overlooking and coordinating activities of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) along with the Central Medical Services Society, which is responsible for centralised tendering and pooled procurement of different HIV products.

Why is the shortage Concerned?

• People living with HIV need access to treatment with a combination of drugs known as antiretroviral therapy to suppress the virus, preserve their health, and prevent transmission of the virus to an HIV-negative partner.
• Staying on antiretroviral therapy continuously is crucial to keep the virus suppressed.

What has Driven the Shortages of These drugs?

• The failure of the pooled procurement mechanism. The tender for pooled procurement of life-saving antiretroviral medicines has faced bureaucratic delays in 2014, 2017, and now again in 2022.
• Although the state is not facing an acute shortage, medicines are running low, with some stocks set to expire.
• Officials are forced to compromise, for example, by portioning drugs meant for adults and giving them to children.

What are the Implications?

• If not addressed in time, the drug shortage could result in a full-blown public health concern.
• According to NACO, any irregularity in following the prescribed regimen can lead to resistance to HIV drugs, and therefore can weaken or negate its effect.
• If ART is not taken daily the probability of infection building up in the body increases, making the person unwell and infectious.
• These risks undoing India’s hard-won gains against HIV/AIDS and further derails global progress, which is not on track to meet the goal of ending AIDS by 2030.

What is the Prevalence of HIV/AIDS in India?

• As per the government's HIV Estimation 2021 report, the number of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in India is 24.01 lakh.
  • Annual new HIV infections have declined by 46% in India since 2010
  • Maharashtra had the maximum numbers followed by Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
  • The Adult Prevalence (15-49 Yrs.) rate of HIV is highest in Mizoram (2.37%) followed by Nagaland and Manipur.
    • HIV/AIDS in Mizoram is 10 times higher than the national average (0.22%).

Way Forward

• What is urgently needed is the political will from the Ministry of Health to take necessary measures to ensure that drug shortages, as happened over the last decade, are not experienced by its programmes, such as HIV and TB, in the future.
• If ignored, the consequences impact the right to health and drive drug resistance, a significant public health challenge for the country.

Source: DTE

Mikhail Gorbachev and Cold War

Why in News?

Recently, the last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev died at the age of 91.

What was the contribution of Mikhail Gorbachev?

• About:
  • He joined Communist Party of the Soviet Union as a youth, and after Stalin’s death, he became a keen proponent of De-Stalinisation reforms started by Nikita Khrushchev.
  • He was selected as the First Party Secretary of the Stavropol Regional Committee in 1970.
  • In 1985 when he was elected as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, in other words, the de facto ruler of the government.
• Achievements:
  • Major Reforms:
    • He introduced the policies of “glasnost” and “perestroika” which helped in freedom of speech and press and the economic expansion of the economy.
      • Perestroika means “restructuring,” specifically of the Communist economy and political system, by incorporating some features of a market economy into the Soviet economy. It also resulted in the decentralization of financial decision-making.
      • Glasnost means “openness,” particularly openness of information and began the democratization of the Soviet Union.
  • Focused on Arms Reduction:
    • He forged arms reduction deals with the United States and partnerships with Western powers to remove the Iron Curtain that had divided Europe since World War Two and reunify Germany.
      • Iron curtain is the political, military, and ideological barrier erected by the Soviet Union after World War II to seal off itself and its dependent eastern and central European allies from open contact with the West and other noncommunist areas.
  • Ended the Cold War:
    • Gorbachev is credited with bringing the Cold War to an end, which resulted in the dissolution of the USSR into separate countries.
  • Nobel Peace Prize:
    • He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 for his efforts to end the Cold War between the US and USSR.
• Indian Connection:
  • Gorbachev visited India twice, in 1986 and 1988.
  • His objective was to extend his disarmament initiatives in Europe to Asia and to secure Indian cooperation.
  • It was Gorbachev’s first visit to a non-Warsaw Pact country after taking over as leader of the Soviet Union.
  • The then Prime Minister Rajiv hailed Gorbachev as a “crusader for peace”.
  • His address to India’s Parliament during the visit received hyperbolic coverage in the Indian and Soviet press and was seen as a high point of Indian diplomacy.

What was the Cold War?

• About:
  • The Cold War was a division between Russia and western countries (the US and its allies, like Britain), which started in the 1940s and lasted until 1991.
  • It was a war between two ideas and ways of ruling - communism (the east) and capitalism (the west).
  • The Russians operated a communist state (from 1922 to 1991), while western countries like the US were capitalist countries.
  • Throughout the Cold War, communist and capitalist nations tried to outdo each other, competing to develop the best technologies and weapons.
• India’s Role:
  • Non-Alignment Movement:
    • The policy of Non Alignment Movement (NAM) did not seek to formally align themselves with either the United States or the Soviet Union, but sought to remain independent or neutral.
    • The basic concept for the group originated in 1955 during discussions that took place at the Asia-Africa Bandung Conference held in Indonesia.
    • The first NAM Summit Conference took place in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in September 1961.
    • Purpose:
      • The purpose of the organization was enumerated in Havana Declaration of 1979 to ensure "the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of non-aligned countries" in their struggle against imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism, and all forms of foreign subjugation.
      • During the cold war era the NAM played a vital role in stabilizing the world order and preserving peace and security.
  • Neutral Stand:
    • India was able to take decisions and stances at the international level serving its own interest rather than serving the interest of the superpowers.

Source: IE

Civil Servants and Freedom of Speech

Why in News?

A senior IAS officer from Telangana, tweeted from her personal account in support of Ms. Bano and questioned the Gujarat government’s decision of releasing 11 men convicted on charges of gang-raping Bilkis Bano during the 2002 Gujarat riots.

• It prompted a debate about whether the officer breached the Civil Service (Conduct) Rules of 1964 and revived the debate about civil servants' right to express their personal views on matters of law and governance.

Can a Civil Servant Express their Views on Government Policy and Action?

• A civil servant has the right to tweet because the citizens of this country have the fundamental right of free speech (Article 19) guaranteed to them under the Constitution, which is subject to reasonable restrictions in the interest of securing the state’s sovereignty, international relations, health, morality, etc.
• But when a civil servant undertakes government service, he/she subject themselves to certain disciplinary rules.
  • That prevents a government servant from becoming a member of a political organisation, or any organisation of such a nature, or expressing herself freely with regard to anything that has to do with the governance of the country.
  • This rule is from the British era and there is no doubt that the British were very, very strict and didn’t want their officers to be talking about how bad the governance was.
• But in a democracy, the right to criticise the government is a fundamental right.

What are the Related Judgements?

• Lipika Paul v. the State of Tripura:
  • In a landmark judgment, in January of 2020, the High Court of Tripura ruled that ‘a government servant is not devoid of her right of free speech, a fundamental right.’
  • The Court did acknowledge that the expression of the right to speech is subject to curtailment in certain circumstances; nevertheless, the judgment has significant implications concerning the right to freedom of expression for government employees.
    • In the Bilkis Bano case, the officer was entitled to hold her own beliefs and express them in the manner she desired, subject to not crossing the borders laid down in the Conduct Rules which were applicable in Tripura.
    • A fundamental right cannot be curtailed except by a valid law made by a legislature.
      • Rule 9 of the Rules of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules states, “No Government servant shall... make any statement of fact or opinion... which has the effect of an adverse criticism of any current or recent policy or action of the Central Government or a State Government.”
• Kerala High Court Judgement:
  • In 2018, the Kerala High Court had said “One cannot be prevented from expressing his views merely because he is an employee”.
  • In a democratic society, every institution is governed by democratic norms.

Way Forward

• Uphold Democratic Values:
  • Nowadays, many government officers and ministers are encouraged to communicate government policies to the general public through social media.
    • Unfortunately, government officers are given only one way of encouragement i.e., to say good things in the media.
    • The problem with this is that if any policy is being implemented everybody has a right to express his or her opinion, a right to object, a right to dissent in a democracy.
• Upholding Rights of the Officer:
  • Government officers have a duty to increase transparency about policies through social media. A case-by-case approach must be followed.
• Need is to make Differentiation:
  • The need of the hour is to make a differentiation between what is something that’s going to hurt society, hurt the Constitution, and the rule of law.
  • In the case of Bilkis Bano, the Supreme Court ordained the release of convicts on remission, which was executed by the Gujarat government, and the (question is over how it has been done), which was an exception.

Source: TH

Karnataka Iron Ore Mining

Why in News?

Recently, the Supreme Court raised the “ceiling limit” of iron ore mining for Ballari, Chitradurga and Tumakuru districts in Karnataka, saying conservation of the ecology and environment must go hand in hand with the spirit of economic development.

• Ten years after the Supreme Court clamped down on production and sale of iron ore in Karnataka, the Court has relaxed its own orders.

What do we need to know about the Karnataka Iron Ore Mining Ban?

• Background:
  • In 2010, the Supreme Court shut down the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) in Ballari, after a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe was initiated in 2009 for illegal mining.
    • The illegal mining resulted in plunder of public wealth, massive loss to exchequer, encroached forest land, ravaged environment and large scale health issue among local population.
  • The two Lokayukta Reports of 2008 and 2011 exposed over 700 government officials, including three chief ministers in the illegal mining scandal.
• Supreme Court’s Orders:
  • After the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) report brought attention to rampant violations in mining, the SC passed an order in 2011 to stop mining operations in Ballari.
  • Additionally, SC banned export of iron ore pellets from Karnataka with an aim to prevent environmental degradation and to preserve for future generations as part of the concept of intergenerational equity.
    • SC also fixed the maximum permissible annual production limit at 35 MMT for A and B category mines.
  • It directed the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) to draw up a reclamation and rehabilitation (R&R) plan to reverse the environmental damage caused by illegal mining.
  • In 2012, the SC allowed 18 “category A” mines to resume operations.
    • Mines were categorized depending on the extent of illegalities committed by them:
      • A Category Mines: These are “leases wherein no illegality/marginal illegality have been found”
      • Mines with more serious infractions fall into B and C categories, based on their respective offences.
    • Once the mines were allowed to restart, the ore was sold through e-auctions.
• Implication of Order:
  • With closure of mines, steel mills faced raw material shortages, forcing them to import from outside India, thereby opening up the country to business for global iron ore giants.
  • The restrictions on production, e-auction and prices had also affected lakhs of mining dependents in Karnataka making their livelihood uncertain.

What have been the Recent Developments on the Issue?

• Mining Firms Appeal:
  • In May 2022, Mining Firms had asked the SC to scrap e-auction norms in the export or sale of iron ore for mining lessees in the districts of Ballari, Tumakuru and Chitradurga.
  • They claimed that they were facing closure due to their stocks not getting sold
• Karnataka Government’s Stand:
  • The government of Karnataka is in favour of a complete removal of the ceiling limit.
• Original Petitioners Stand:
  • The original petitioner opposed any exports on the grounds that minerals are national assets that need to be preserved and only finished steel should be exported.
• Supreme Court’s Ruling:
  • The Supreme Court has permitted resumption of exports of already excavated iron ore from the state through modes other than e-auction, and also increased the ceiling limit on mining for the following mines:
    • Ballari: from 28 MMT to 35 MMT
    • Chitradurga and Tumakuru districts: from 7 MMT to 15 MMT
  • The court ruled that it was necessary to create a level playing field for the mines situated in the three districts with others in the rest of the country.

Source: TH

Crime Multi Agency Centre

Why in News?

A few states and one Union Territory have not uploaded a single alert on Cri-MAC (Crime Multi Agency Centre) platform.

• West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Sikkim and Union Territory of Dadra, Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu have not uploaded a single alert.
• Delhi, Assam and Haryana uploaded the maximum number of alerts on the portal.

What is Cri-MAC?

• The Cri-MAC was launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which is run by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
• It was launched to share information on crime and criminals with various law enforcement agencies and ensure a seamless flow of information among them.
• It aims to help in early detection and prevention of crime incidents across the country.
• Cri-MAC facilitates dissemination of information about significant crimes, including human trafficking across the country on real-time basis and enables inter-State coordination.
• It can help in locating and identifying the trafficked victims as also in prevention, detection and investigation of crime.

Source: TH

Vostok Exercise 2022

Why in News?

Recently, India joined a multilateral strategic and command Exercise Vostok - 2022 in Russia along with China among other countries.

What is Exercise Vostok?

• It will involve troops from several ex-Soviet nations, China, India, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua and Syria.
  • The Indian Army was represented by the contingent of troops from 7/8 Gorkha Rifles.
• It is aimed at interaction and coordination amongst other participating military contingents and observers.
• The Vostok 2022 exercise will be held at seven firing ranges in Russia's Far East and the Sea of Japan and involve more than 50,000 troops and over 5,000 weapons units, including 140 aircraft and 60 warships.
• The Indian Army contingent will look forward to sharing practical aspects and putting into practice the validated drills, procedures and practice amalgamation of new technology through discussions and tactical exercises.

What are India’s Exercises with China & Russia?

• China:
  • Exercise Hand-in-Hand:
    • The aim of the exercise is to practice joint planning and conduct of counter terrorist operations in semi urban terrain.
• Russia:
  • Exercise Indra:
    • The exercise will entail the conduct of counter terror operations under the United Nations mandate by a joint force against international terror groups.
    • The INDRA series of exercises began in 2003 and was conducted as a bilateral naval exercise alternately between the two countries.
      • However, the first joint Tri-Services Exercise was conducted in 2017.
  • Exercise TSENTR:
    • Exercise TSENTR 2019 is part of the annual series of large-scale exercises that form part of the Russian Armed Forces' annual training cycle.
  • Exercise ZAPAD 2021:
    • It is a multinational exercise in which 17 countries including India, China, Russia and Pakistan are part of it.
      • It focuses primarily on operations against terrorists.

Source: TH

Stockholm Junior Water Prize

Why in News?

Recently, Annabelle M. Rayson, a student from Canada received the prestigious 2022 Stockholm Junior Water Prize for her research on how to treat and prevent harmful algae blooms.

• Harmful Algal Blooms, or HABs, occur when colonies of algae grow out of control and produce toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals and birds.

What is Stockholm Junior Water Prize?

• About:
  • Stockholm Junior Water is an international competition where students aged 15 to 20 years present solutions to major water challenges.
  • It has been organized every year since 1997 by the Stockholm International Water Institute, with Xylem, an American water technology provider.
  • This prize is a popular part of the World Water Week.
• Other Prizes:
  • Diploma of Excellence:
    • It was awarded to Laura Nedel Drebes and Camily Pereira dos Santos from Brazil for their development of addressing the issue of period poverty — the inaccessibility to sanitary pads.
  • People’s Choice Award:
    • The People’s Choice Award went to Mishal Faraz from the United Arab Emirates for Water Bottle Project to discourage the use of single-use plastic water bottles and strengthen water security.

Source: DTE