Sky Spies; Tap Water; Joining IPEF
Opinion Watch
Sky Spies
The US has shot down four flying objects, claimed to have been equipped with surveillance capabilities. The NORAD Command was pressed in action to shoot down one flying object in the Canadian airspace. China too has claimed that there had been several such flying objects, originating from the US, in its own air space. Actions in the sky have the firepower ammunitions from fast worsening Sino-US relations.
The Asian Age in an Editorial has said that the spotting of the Chinese spy balloon of the size of three school buses and boasting of antennas for snooping activities has set off unique sky hunting activities. “If espionage, and possible close encounters of the extraterrestrial kind, were not such a serious business, Hollywood could easily produce satire in the ‘Don’t Look Up’ style and worthy of the prevailing paranoia over spying eyes in the sky.
China and the US have put in several low-orbit earth satellites with principal motives to spy. Balloons and other flying objects complement the space eyes. The US gains from warmongering. Xi Jinping’s China has done everything to offer the plot to Uncle Sam. Welcome to Cold War II.
Tap Water
One credible yardstick of a developed nation can easily be the availability of tap water in each household. India has a long way to walk to reach the status.
The Hindu in an Editorial commented on the Narendra Modi government’s aim to provide tap water to each rural household by 2024. The daily stated that the Union Budget has apportioned Rs 69,684 crores for the purpose. The Chennai-based daily also referred to the claim of the Ministry of Jal Shakti to state that 11 crore rural households (57 per cent) out of 19.3 crore now have tap water. Goa, Gujarat, Haryana and Telangana have 100 per cent coverage of tap water of eligible households, while Himachal Pradesh and Punjab have achieved 97 per cent target. The daily mentioned that a sample survey of three lakh such households showed that tap water was available for limited hours and days. Besides, chlorination and bacterial infections have also been found in samples.
Task is half finished. Aim is to first get water at homes. The government can deal with chlorine, bacteria, arsenic and other contaminations some other days! But a few states have indeed shown laudable zeal to implement the Central scheme for ‘Har Ghar Jal’. Tap water is an issue ripe to pay rich electoral dividends.
Joining IPEF
The Indo Pacific Economic Forum (IPEF) is the brainchild of US President Joe Biden. Aim is to compete with China. India stays away from joining the trade part of the group for the same reason which made New Delhi walk out of the RCEP negotiations.
The Economic Times in an Editorial has claimed that India will gain from joining the trade pillar of IPEF, which deals with labour, environment, digital trade and public procurement. Three other pillars, which India has joined, are supply chain, clean economy and fair economy. The daily argued that call to joining the IPEF trade cannot be ignored, but India should be cautious of accelerated transitions.
India has a messy record on labour laws, for they exist merely on paper, while corporate governance remains a virtue of only a few business groups such as Tata. IPEF has member nations which are trade tigers. India may well be advised to first clean up the mess on several fronts.
About The Author
