Sinking Town; Lonely Peak; Data Denial

Opinion Watch

Sinking Town

It took the Uttarakhand High Court’s firmness to release the report of technical institutions on the sinking of Joshimath, and The Tribune in its Editorial has called for no strings attached acceptance of the recommendations to save the fragile ecology of the Himalayan state. The Chandigarh-based daily, noting report’s findings that Joshimath sank by over three feet and also moved, has called for strict building norms, as well as disposal of water and waste. The daily has suggested that the report be a template for rejuvenation of Himalayan states, including Himachal Pradesh.

Recklessness of construction has been pinned down as the top reason for ecological havoc in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Most importantly, the political class has been complicit in the acts of causing ecological damages.

Lonely Peak

Several dailies have commented on the AIADMK parting ways with the BJP, with the concurrent undertone that the saffron outfit offers least comforts to the allies. The likes of The Indian Express, The Economic Times, The Hindu and others have struck the note that the BJP is growing lonely at the peak of the party’s electoral success. The dailies have also spotlighted that the BJP is now lacking skills to address concerns of the allies.

The BJP had won 303 Lok Sabha seats, and certainly the party believed that it was curtains for the alliance politics. But, as it’s said a week is a long time in politics, much has changed in the last five years, and the BJP is losing state after state.  

Data Denial

Moody’s has slammed the centralization of data mined from the Aadhar architecture for privacy risks, as well as potential for denial in access of public services, while calling for the decentralization. The Hindu in its Editorial has revisited the issue, arguing that the people in the rural areas are losing out from schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act because of the biometrics failing. The Chennai-based daily struck the cautionary note on the Central government’s push to move to Aadhar-based payment system for the beneficiaries.

The government’s obsession with Aadhar now means that even a SIM card seller insists on unique identification number, while bank officials often come across cases when biometrics fail to read thumb impressions of even young people.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us

Save

About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

See author's posts