Horrific Accident; Covid Aftereffect; Plastic Pollution

Opinion Watch          

Horrific Accident

The Asian Age in its lead editorial has asked “what led the worst rail accident of the century that killed 275 and injured 1175” in Balasore, Odisha. The daily has mentioned everything doing the rounds for possible reason – human error, track failure, technological breakdown, driver’s lapse, or even sabotage”.

The daily stressed that “you cannot be callous with safety precautions”, calling for actions on findings of the cause of the accident. It called for zero tolerance against error, while seeking overhaul and reform of system to ensure that there are no such tragedies in future.

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has called for a CBI probe into the incident, while claiming that the culprits have been identified. Tragedy has become a feast for trolls on social media platforms. Last year similar mishap would have taken in Karnataka if loco pilot had not stopped the train after finding that signaling was at variance with protocol. Often claims of Railway Board in New Delhi and officials on the ground are at variance, and somehow Ministry of Railways still believes that prayers are best ways to avert tragedies.

Covid Aftereffect

Besides patients suffering from long Covid, kids are possibly carrying the burden of the aftereffects of the pandemic, reflected in mental stress, learning loss, digital distractions, underlined The Telegraph in its Editorial in the backdrop of sharp dip in the performances of the students in Class X and Class XII examinations.

The Kolkata-based quoted a finding of Jadavpur University, which stated that students across the digital divide have suffered on account of the online education following outbreak of the pandemic. The daily also claimed that reports have stated that the remote learning has hampered students’ concentrations, writing speed and handwriting, while arguing for teacher training and adaptive learning.

The pandemic brought a flood of ed-tech firms who chased parents to being their kids to online learning, and most of them have now shut their shops. The government too has been a mute spectator to advocacy of digital learning, but empirical findings show that classrooms and teachers need attention and certainly not gadgets.

Plastic Pollution

Ninety per cent of the 430 million tonnes of plastic produced globally end up at landfill sites and seas, killing biodiversity while posing grave threat to human health, argued The Economic Times in its Editorial, while stressing on solution by addressing plastic pollution across its lifespan and not just as a solid waste problem.

The backdrop was set by the Paris negotiations for legally binding global treaty on plastic waste for the first draft, and the business daily quoted a report of OECD to state that the plastic waste will triple by 2060. The daily also urged upon India to ensure that the treaty is equitable and ambitious.

Global goal to cut down plastic consumption stands derailed, as noted by UN Reports, and there appears a serious lack of commitment to address issues affecting humanity, as well as biodiversity.   

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