R2R NEWSPAPER NOTES

R2R SSB BATCHES START EVERY 1ST & 15TH of month. Referred articles were published in The Hindu.

1. Water Management in India Needs a New Governance Course: Balancing Development and Environment

Background

• The theme of World Water Day 2025, celebrated on March 22, was "Water for Peace."
• The UN International Year of Glaciers' Preservation highlights the urgent need to address the accelerating loss of glaciers, which is expected to have far-reaching consequences on downstream water resources.
• The World Development Report 2025, focusing on "Mountains and Glaciers – Water Towers," draws global attention to the importance of mountain waters.
• These "water towers" are crucial for the development of mountain regions and downstream societies.
• Scientific focus is needed on the role of a changing mountain cryosphere and its impact on downstream water resources.
• SDG 6 (Sustainable Development Goal 2030), which proposes the ocean of science for water, aims to advance knowledge on water management.
• Critical biodiversity and climate are highlighted in this decade.

• A link that is overlooked: There is a close link between geographical entities.
• Human activities impact the hydrological cycle, particularly during the post-monsoon period.
• This is a result of damming and the diversion of water from rivers for agriculture, and groundwater extraction for industrial and domestic uses.
• All these changes affect the alteration of freshwater flow to coastal areas and the open ocean, affecting marine environments.
• This critical linkage is now emerging as a major global concern.
• The need for an integrated land, freshwater, and coastal and ocean resource management concept is highlighted in the Science to Sea (S2S) approach, proposed as part of the 2012 Water Declaration.
• The Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities, adopted by 65 countries, proposes a "improve approach."
• Collaboration and coordination at all levels to deal with issues related to oceans, islands, and their associated waterways are key.
• Implementing "ridge to reef" approaches, involving stakeholders and innovative solutions, is crucial.
• The Action Platform for Science-to-Sea Management Initiative (S2SM), established in 2014, aims to help policymakers, stakeholders, and freshwater and marine experts to cooperate and promote best practices.
• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) framework is a unique system.
• A single ecosystem approach is critical for water management.
• This approach analyzes current water management and governance arrangements and identifies areas for segment analysis of the water body.
• In 2012, the National Urban Planning Commission proposed two major adjustments for the approach:
  • The first was to overcome the traditional divide in water, where the second was to adopt a socio-ecological system in design and scientific analysis.
  • This would allow for boundary diagnosis and causal chain analysis.
• Global Environmental Facility (GEF)-International Water (IW) science aims to enhance the use of science in international water projects.
• Problems with India's water management: India faces severe challenges in water management.
• These include spatial heterogeneity in the availability of water, unequal access, increasing pollution, climate change, and conflicts.
• A NITI Aayog study (2018) reported that water stress affects 600 million people in India.
• A staggering 52% of agricultural area is under high water stress.
• Another study highlights India's vulnerability to climate extremes and their impact on agriculture.
• The Central Pollution Control Board identified 310 polluted stretches of various rivers, with 279 rivers in 30 states and Union Territories.
• India produces an average of 18.4 million tonnes of solid waste, of which only 10.2% is treated.
• The untreated waste finds its way into water bodies.
• India uses an average of 60.5% of extractable groundwater resources, with states such as Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan reporting more than 100%.
• Around 80% of groundwater assessment units are under critical risk.
• 60% of irrigated farming and 80% of drinking water come from groundwater.
• Groundwater quality is declining.
• Water security faces a growing threat.
• India's water management problems are a result of fragmented and sectoral approaches.
• Other nations have mature and multiple political bodies for water management.
• India has four different governance systems for water.
• Private property owners operate on the local/village/tribal/government common land.
• Local governments operate on the State governance commons.
• The State government operates on the national governance commons, and the national government operates on global governance commons.
• The challenge is to coordinate activities under different tiers.
• There is a part of the nested governance systems and a governance framework for the country.

• An approach on the fringes: The first national water policy was introduced in 1987, but has been amended to modify and include other features.
• In 2015, a committee was constituted to restructure the Central Water Commission and the Central Ground Water Board.
• In 2019, the Ministry of Jal Shakti set up a committee of independent experts to draft a national water policy.
• It has suggested policy recommendations to other states.
• These have also prepared water policies.
• Despite these initiatives, the S2S approach has yet to gain the attention of policy planners.
• There are few S2S study initiatives implemented, following the S2S approach.
• The first is the Water Department of Delhi addressing the cleanliness of the Yamuna River.
• A proposed project under the S2S Future program aims to examine the relationship between human settlements and S2S landscapes in the Indo-Gangetic basin.
• It is important to have a shift in favour of the S2S approach by adopting socio-ecological system frameworks for integrated implementation of the freshwater and marine sustainable development goals.
• SDG 6.5 (integrated water resource management) and H.1 (land-based activities) are involving all stakeholders, reducing the gap between governance and execution, and facilitating innovative interventions.

Background

• This year, World Food Safety Day, celebrated on June 7, is a moment to reflect on India's journey, from a narrow focus on preventing food adulteration to embracing a comprehensive, science-based approach to food safety.
• Progress has been made, but challenges remain.
• India's journey on food safety began with the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act of 1954, which viewed food safety as a simple, binary issue.
• Food adulteration was not always considered toxic.
• The quantities consumed were not considered.
• The turning point was the enactment of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which established the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
• Drawing on international best practices, the FSSAI adopted a risk-based approach to food safety.
• This included setting maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides, defining safe levels for food additives, and adopting standards for contaminants and veterinary drug residues.
• By 2020, the FSSAI managed to develop and align India's food safety standards so that they were almost on par with those in advanced countries.
• However, this rapid progress also exposed certain weaknesses.

• The gaps and challenges in risk assessment: A fundamental issue is the lack of India-specific toxicological studies.
• Most safety standards, including MRLs for pesticides and acceptable daily intake (ADI) values for food additives, are based on international data, which may not accurately reflect Indian dietary habits, agricultural practices, or environmental conditions.
• The absence of total diet study (TDS) is a further complication.
• Such studies are essential to assess the cumulative exposure of consumers to various contaminants through their entire diet.
• Without TDS, India relies on fragmented data, which weakens the scientific basis of its safety standards.
• Another challenge is effective risk communication.
• Technical terms such as MRLs and ADIs are expressed in minute quantities (parts per million, or ppm, or parts per billion), which are difficult for consumers to understand.
• These can lead to confusion, especially when safety limits are revised.
• For instance, the decision to revise the MRL for pesticides from a highly restrictive 0.1 mg/kg to a more practical 0.1 mg/kg led to public concern, interpreted as a reduction in safety.
• An example of legacy issues includes the regulation of monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavour enhancer that has been extensively studied and considered safe for consumption since 1971.
• The Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) declared MSG safe for consumption.
• In 1987, the JECFA allocated an "ADI not specified" status to MSG.
• All countries follow this global consensus.
• In India, MSG was allowed only in meat products, but its use has gradually been permitted in all foods, with a contradictory warning label that it is unsafe for infants.
• This is in sharp contrast to other countries, where MSG is recognized as a safe food additive, and outdated warning labels have been removed.
• The warning label in India is misleading because glutamates (naturally occurring compounds chemically identical to MSG) are abundant in everyday foods such as tomato, mushroom, and garlic, as well as breast milk.
• As a result, consumers are often left with the mistaken belief that MSG is inherently harmful, leading to unnecessary fear and confusion.
• This approach contradicts global scientific consensus and exposes the challenge of balancing consumer concerns with scientific evidence.
• It also reflects a broader problem, which is India's tendency to allow some outdated regulations to persist, even when they conflict with current scientific understanding.

• A path to greater scientific rigor: India has made significant strides in food safety, but sustaining this progress requires targeted efforts.
• Investing in India-specific research, including toxicological studies and a comprehensive TDS, is vital to understand cumulative exposure to contaminants.
• Risk communication should be improved by simplifying scientific messages and replacing confusing labels.
• The training of risk assessors should continue to ensure that they stay updated with the latest science.
• Regular reviews and updating standards are essential.
• Finally, building public trust through open and consistent engagement with stakeholders, including industry, consumers, and the public, is key.
• These steps will help India uphold and advance its commitment to safe, science-based food systems that protect public health.
• The FSSAI has laid a foundation for food safety in India, but sustaining this progress requires a commitment to transparency, science, and public education.
• Regulatory decisions must be driven by evidence rather than public fears or outdated perceptions.
• To achieve this, India must continue to build scientific rigor with effective risk communication, ensuring that consumers are informed, confident, and protected without unnecessary fear.

Background

• The Indian Navy is set to commission its Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) Arnala at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on June 18.
• The event marks the formal induction of the first of 16 ASW-SWC-class ships into the Navy.
• Designed and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, under a public-private partnership with L&T Shipbuilders, Arnala is a "testament to the success of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative in defence manufacturing."

• The commissioning ceremony of Arnala will be presided over by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.
• The warship incorporates more than 80% indigenous content.
• Arnala is equipped to conduct sub-surface surveillance, search and rescue missions, and low-intensity maritime operations.
• The 77-metre-long warship, with a gross tonnage of over 1,490 tonnes, is the largest Indian naval warship to be propelled by a diesel engine-waterjet combination.
• "The commissioning of Arnala will mark a transformative moment in India's naval capabilities," a release said.

• The commissioning of Arnala signifies a major step towards enhancing India's anti-submarine warfare capabilities and boosting indigenous defense manufacturing.
• Continued investment in self-reliant defense production is crucial for strengthening India's naval power.
• The deployment of such advanced warships will enhance India's maritime security and operational readiness.

Background

• The public feud between Elon Musk and Donald Trump escalated, with Trump threatening to cancel Musk's multi-billion dollar government contracts.
• Americans are concerned about the consequences of the split between the two public figures.
• Mr. Trump's "unlikely political marriage" ended in a public divorce.

• The President, in a televised Oval Office diatribe, called Musk's marriage a "beautiful" spending bill.
• The pair then hurled insults at each other on social media, with Musk even posting, without proof, that Mr. Trump was referenced in government documents on disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
• The row could have major political and economic fallout.
• Tesla's car company plunged, and the South African-born tech tycoon vowed that he would end a "critical U.S. spaceship program."
• Mr. Trump slammed Musk for "ingratitude" and said the Republican would not have won the 2024 election without him.
• Musk fired back, saying he would be gin "decommissioning" Trump's space craft, vital for ferrying NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
• He later appeared to walk that back, replying to a user on X, "OK, we won't decommission Trump."

• The public feud between Elon Musk and Donald Trump could have significant implications for their respective businesses and political standing.
• The continued public exchange of insults and threats could further escalate the conflict.
• The impact on Musk's government contracts and Trump's political future remains to be seen.

NEWS IN SHORTS

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Donald Trump and Elon Musk's relationship has publicly deteriorated, with Trump criticizing Musk's business decisions. This comes amid scrutiny over Musk's government contracts and political endorsements, highlighting a blazing public feud between the two influential figures.

Bangladesh to hold polls in April 2026, says Yunus

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