Current Affairs by Sourabh Mishra

Model Answer

Question #1. What are the various challenges faced by Persons with Disabilities in India? Highlight the measures taken by the government for their welfare.

Answer

One of the largest minority groups in India, who have suffered long years of neglect, deprivation, segregation and exclusion are Persons with Disability (PwD). As per Census 2011, the number of Persons with Disabilities in India is 268.14 lakhs constituting 2.21 per cent of the total population.

However, they continue to face myriad challenges that prevent them from enjoying their full civil, political, economic, social, cultural and developmental rights:

•   Loss of independence: Disabled people have difficulties in self-care, many of them are financially dependent on their family members or relatives, which leads to loss of autonomy.
•   Transportation: Disabled people face lots of problems in taking public transport while they lack the ability to operate and sometimes afford private means of transport.
•   Accessibility: Physical barriers still exist in public buildings, offices, schools and hospitals.
•   Communication and social relationship: Disabled people have difficulties in social relationships and they usually have smaller social networks. This is mainly due to discrimination and misunderstanding.
•   Self-esteem: Their ‘disability’ is often seen as their ‘inability’ by many and people in general have preconceived notions about their capabilities. This ultimately results in lower self-esteem in these people.

Schemes for inclusive development of Persons with Disabilities

•   Assistance to Disabled Persons Scheme (ADIP): The main objective of ADIP scheme is to assist the needy disabled persons in procuring durable and scientifically manufactured standard aids and appliances that can promote their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation, by reducing the effects of disabilities.
•   Inclusive Education for the Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS): This scheme supports children with disabilities aged 14 or above for completing their secondary education in government, local body and government aided schools.
•   Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan): This campaign aims to create universal accessibility for PwDs in the built environment, transport, information and communication technology (ICT) ecosystem.
•   Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS): Financial assistance is provided to NGOs for projects relating to rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities.
•   Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016: This landmark Act on disability increased the number of disabilities from 7 to 21. This Act also increased the quota of reservation for persons with disabilities.

The Constitution of India applies uniformly to every legal citizen of India, whether they are healthy or disabled in any way (physically or mentally). It guarantees the right of justice, equality of status and of opportunity. For this we need a shift from a charity-based approach to a rights-based approach for welfare of Persons with Disabilities.

Question #2. Despite a strict law, what do you think are the reasons for which illegal trade of wildlife is rampant in India? Analyse the persistent issues and suggest measures to be taken against illegal trading.

Answer

Over the years illegal wildlife trade has emerged as a form of Organised Transnational Crime that has threatened the existence of many wild species across the globe.

Reasons for Illegal trade

•   Lack of legal protection for wildlife: The trade in some exotic species does not fall within the purview of the 1972 Wildlife Protection Act, leaving a gaping legal hole in India’s wildlife protection system.
•   Easily available data and information: Markets trading in live wildlife are even operating online.
•   Rising demand for their products: India has also seen a rise in demand for exotic animals.
•   Penalties are too weak: There are weak punishments for people caught trading under the laws in India, which empowers the culprit to engage in such activity without fear.
•   High monetary value of the products in Indian markets: Most of the people engage in such activity for money, for which they are getting a very high value.
•   Unemployment: Generally people who are unemployed and poor are forced in this illegal trading business for their survival.

Issues involved with the present legislations

•   It does not cover exotic species: The difficulty has been witnessed for long as the country law does not enlist the exotic animals and hence conviction of the offender becomes time intensive and cumbersome.
•   Lack of sync between Authorities responsible: The Customs and the Forest Department are supposed to act on their own law that overlaps (at times, conflicts) each other.
•   Punishments under-defined: Due to increasing rate of crime under Trafficking of wildlife for their skin, bones, organs etc has mandated the law to define the nature of punishment for culprits.

However the following measures can minimize illegal trading to a significant level.

•   Public education: One of the most powerful tools for addressing illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade is persuading consumers to make informed choices. This includes the people buying the end product as well as shop-keepers, suppliers and manufacturers.
•   Supporting regulations: All regulatory bodies should collaborate for better implementation of laws and finding solutions.
•   Stopping wildlife crime: Push governments to protect threatened animal populations by increasing law enforcement, imposing strict deterrents, reducing demand for endangered species products and honouring international commitments made under CITES.
•   Building confidence among locals: Speak up on behalf of those on the frontlines being threatened by armed poachers so they are properly equipped, trained and compensated.
•   Discouraging animal based products: Reduce demand for illegal wildlife parts and products by encouraging others to ask questions and get the facts before buying any wildlife or plant product.

If wildlife crime and trafficking are to be tackled effectively, innovative and imaginative measures must be deployed against those responsible. Not only will this help educate the general public and judiciary of the seriousness of such behaviour, and its devastating impact upon fauna and flora, it should also result in a level of deterrence which does not widely exist today.