GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

Context:

Recently Supreme Court ruling deems rules penalizing married women employees unconstitutional, emphasizing gender equality in workplaces. Despite progress, women face barriers such as biased job interviews and cultural norms.

The Supreme Court's stance against discriminatory workplace practices:

• Unconstitutional Rules: The Supreme Court of India declared rules penalizing women employees for getting married as unconstitutional; emphasizing that such practices undermine human dignity and the right to non-discrimination.
• Case of Selina John: The Court upheld the rights of Selina John, a former lieutenant and Permanent Commissioner Officer in the Military Nursing Service, who was discharged from service in 1988 for getting married, directing the Union Government to pay her ?60 lakh in compensation within eight weeks.
• Progress in Gender Parity: The ruling highlights the ongoing battle for gender parity in the Indian Army and underscores the need for concrete actions to support gender-inclusive policies and practices.

Challenges in Civilian Workplaces:

• Gender Bias in Job Interviews: Women often face uncomfortable personal questions about marriage and motherhood during job interviews, hindering their participation in the workforce.
• Barriers to Labour Participation: India's low female labour participation rate, as indicated by the latest Periodic Labour Force data, underscores the need to address barriers in education, employment, and opportunities for women.
• Impact of Social Norms: Restrictive social and cultural norms continue to impede women's empowerment and hinder their access to education and employment opportunities, perpetuating gender disparities.

Promoting Gender Equality in Workplaces:

• Role of Organizations: The Supreme Court's verdict highlights the importance of organizations becoming enablers of gender equality by eliminating discriminatory practices and creating inclusive work environments.
• Empowering Women: Government schemes aimed at empowering girls and women must be coupled with efforts to challenge and overcome restrictive social norms to ensure their meaningful impact on the ground.
• Ensuring Workplace Equality: Upholding the Court's verdict can pave the way for organizations to prioritize gender equality and ensure that workplaces serve as platforms for empowerment rather than hurdles.

Context:

In the interim Budget 2024, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans to construct two crore additional houses over the next five years under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G).

Modern Technologies in Affordable Housing:

• Innovative Approaches: Within the PMAY mission, Light House Projects (LHPs) are employing modern technology as part of the Global Housing Technology Challenge (GHTC) to reduce construction time and build resilient and affordable houses.
• Alternative Construction Methods: Technologies like Mivan, utilizing recyclable aluminium formwork, offer speed and quality advantages over traditional methods but may lead to thermal discomfort due to inadequate insulation.
• Environmental Implications: Despite efficiency gains, increased reliance on cooling appliances due to thermal distress from construction methods could elevate electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Prioritizing Thermal Comfort:

• Addressing Heat Stress: Rising global heat stress underscores the need for thermal comfort in housing, particularly for vulnerable communities with limited access to cooling amenities.
• Integration of Passive Design: Integrating passive design strategies into housing initiatives can align 'Housing for All' goals with broader environmental objectives.
• Implementation Challenges: Initiatives like Eco Niwas Samhita and projects like Smart Ghar III demonstrate the potential of passive design to enhance indoor thermal comfort, but implementation hurdles persist due to a lack of awareness and incentives across the building value chain.

Buildings for Tomorrow:

• Environmental Sustainability: Given the significant contribution of the building sector to greenhouse gas emissions, addressing the environmental impact of construction activities is crucial.
• Balancing Emissions: Balancing embodied and operational emissions in housing initiatives is essential for ensuring environmental sustainability.
• Promoting Sustainability: By integrating environmental consciousness into housing projects, policymakers can create resilient structures that contribute positively to the environment, promoting a sustainable and inclusive future.

Context:

Wayanad, a district in Kerala, India, is currently grappling with a significant rise in human-wildlife conflict, particularly involving elephants. Recent tragic events, including fatal attacks on farmers and ecotourism guides, have prompted protests and strikes in the region.

Human-Wildlife Conflict in Wayanad:

• Escalating Conflict: Wayanad is witnessing a surge in human-wildlife conflict, evidenced by recent tragic events including fatal attacks by elephants on farmers and ecotourism guides, sparking protests and strikes in Kerala.
• Loss of Habitat Connectivity: A study report titled "Right of Passage: Elephant Corridors of India" identified a significant reduction in wildlife corridors over the past two decades, leading to increased conflict as wildlife ventures into human settlements due to habitat fragmentation.
• Impact on Lives and Livelihoods: Over the past decade, Wayanad has recorded numerous human deaths and extensive crop and property damage due to wildlife incursions, highlighting the urgent need for mitigation measures to address the escalating conflict.

Environmental Degradation and its Impact:

• Degradation of Natural Ecosystems: Clearing of forest lands for non-forest use, monoculture plantations, and quarrying activities have led to the destruction of natural ecosystems in Wayanad, resulting in diminished biodiversity and weakened ecological resilience.
• Expanding Tourism Industry: Uncontrolled ecotourism, coupled with the expansion of tourism infrastructure towards forest edges and wildlife corridors, exacerbates habitat destruction and disrupts wildlife habitats, further intensifying human-wildlife conflict.
• Lack of Conservation Efforts: Despite continuous appeals from scientists and activists, the government's response to revive habitat management and enforce conservation measures remains inadequate, contributing to the worsening environmental degradation and conflict.

Need for Immediate Action and Sustainable Solutions:

• Government Response: Following recent incidents, the government has announced the formation of a high-level panel and rapid response teams to address human-wildlife conflict. However, effective coordination and proactive strategies from multiple departments are essential to tackle the complex challenges.
• Enhanced Conservation Measures: Enforcing the Forest Conservation Act with stakeholder engagement and prioritizing habitat restoration are crucial steps to mitigate human-wildlife conflict and restore ecological balance in Wayanad.
• Long-term Sustainability: Establishing a statutory body under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, implementing sustainable forest management practices, and promoting public awareness are essential for ensuring the long-term survival of both wildlife and communities in Wayanad.