5 years, 107 deaths in hospital fires, same story of zero accountability

This is a fraction of the total hospital or clinic fires in the past half-decade between January 2020 and October 2024, there were at least 105 such reported incidents. Significantly, there was an increase in fatal fire incidents during Covid-19-nine of the 11 incidents took place in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Five took place in 2021 when the pandemic was at its peak and the healthcare system was overstretched. There were many other startling revelations - at least eight of the 11 fires were likely caused by short circuits, with improper maintenance of electrical lines and equipment to blame; several hospitals ignored basic safety measures and lacked firefighting equipment like extinguishers, hoses, sprinklers and well- trained staff. 

RS clears Bill for regulating boilers, safety of life, property

THE RAJYA Sabha cleared a bill with provisions for regulation of boilers, safety of life and property from explosions, and uniformity in registrations. The Boilers Bill, 2024, which seeks to repeal the century-old Boilers Act, 1923, was cleared in the Upper House by a voice vote. The bill has provisions to ensure the safety of people working in- side a boiler apart from repair of boilers to be undertaken by qualified and competent persons. Out of seven offences, to ensure the safety of boilers and personnel, criminal penalties were retained in four major ones that involve loss of life and property. 

Under layers of soil, 80 sandstone pillars and a slice of Patna's Mauryan-era past

Under the green grass top, the earth hides an ancient architectural marvel - stumps and pits where 80 sandstone pillars once stood, holding up what was possibly a Buddhist assembly hall from the Mauryan era. In 2004-2005, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had covered up the area with soil after the rising water table submerged the pillar stumps. Now, 20 years later, the ASI has decided to uncover the pillars that are a key part of the evidence linking Pataliputra, the seat of the Mauryan empire, to present-day Patna.

Don't panic on population

DEMOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS HAVE traditionally been considered as stable - unlike socioeconomic indicators, they change only in the long run. The narrative of the demographic dragon eating up all the benefits of development due to uncontrolled fertility has, however, changed within a decade into concerns that labour shortage could decelerate economic growth. A significant fertility decline will not be witnessed in the coming decades. Kerala's TFR has increased marginally whereas that of other states is getting stabilised around the replacement level. 

Windfall gains tax on oil put to rest: the move and its significance

THE GOVERNMENT withdrew the windfall gains tax on domestic production of crude oil and export of diesel, petrol, and aviation turbine fuel (ATF), scrapping the levy that was introduced 30 months ago amid a surge in the prices of crude oil and key fuels in the international market in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Apprehensions about the availability of the fuels in the domestic market amid the global energy turmoil at the time had con- tributed to the decision to impose the levy.

'LAKE-EFFECT SNOW', PHENOMENON FREEZING THE GREAT LAKES REGION

PARTS OF upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan, situated along the Great Lakes, have seen nearly 1.2 metres of "lake-effect" snow since last Friday.The movement of a cold air mass across stretches of warm lake water triggers the lake effect, a phenomenon that has captivated weather experts. In the US, the lake effect typically be- gins when cold air - often from Canada - blows in over the Great Lakes' warmer waters. Most of the moisture needed for lake- effect snow does not actually come from the lakes, but rather from cold air that blows over them. 

Akal Takht and the SAD

The Akal Takht, which faces the Harmandir Sahib in the Golden Temple complex, was established by the sixth Sikh master Guru Hargobind in 1606 following the execution of his father, Guru Arjan Dev, by the Mughals. According to Sikh Studies scholar Amarjit Singh of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Guru Hargobind used this platform for governance, and is believed to have issued the first directive (Hukamnama) from here, urging Sikh congregations to contribute horses and weapons to the Panth. The Guru is said to have requested two swords, symbolising miri (temporal power) and piri (spirituality). 

Production cap, chemicals ban: Why global plastic treaty talks collapsed

COUNTRIES NEGOTIATING a landmark treaty on tackling plastic pollution failed to reach an agreement on December 1 - more than 100 nations wanted to curb production but a handful of oil producers were prepared only to target plastic waste. The weeklong talks, which involved nearly 200 countries, took place in Busan, South Korea. This was the fifth round of negotiations since March 2022, when the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) agreed to develop a legally binding treaty on plastics pollution by the end of 2024. The main dispute was regarding the demand for production cap goals in the final treaty along with clear language on the elimination of certain plastic chemicals and products. 

Nepal, China sign BRI framework, paves way for work on projects

NEPAL AND China signed the execution framework for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Beijing, indicating that Nepal will soon decide on projects for implementation. The development has come when Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli is on an official visit to China. Nepal Foreign Ministry officials said the framework agreement was signed by the acting foreign secretary and the vice chairman of China's National Development Reforms Commission, ending speculation triggered by the government's stance that it will accept only grants for projects under the BRI. 

India had 'limited success' in capturing 'China Plus One' opportunity: NITI Aayog

EVEN AS a new NIII Aayog report, the 'Trade Watch', says that India has seen "limited success so far" in capturing the 'China Plus One' strategy adopted by multinational companies looking to de-risk their supply chains, NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam has suggested that trade policies under US President-elect Donald Trump could result in a potential economic boom for India, driven by significant trade diversion in global trade. This comes just a day after the two large economies, the US and China, entered into a fresh trade conflict, imposing tit-for-tat trade restrictions on each other. 

Spike in cocaine, contraband cigarettes, currency seizures: Anti-smuggling agency

SEIZURES OF drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine, contraband cigarettes, and illicit foreign currency by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have seen a sharp rise over the past year. According to DRI's latest Smuggling in India report, the agency conducted 47 cocaine seizures worth Rs 975 crore in FY24-more than double the number recorded in the previous financial year. The quantity of cocaine smuggled into India, primarily through airports, increased by 9 per cent to 107 kg during the same period. Methamphetamine smuggling has also spiked, especially in northeastern states like Assam and Mizoram, according to DRI's latest bulletin. 

Will Reserve Bank go for a CRR cut?

ALTHOUGH THERE seems to be a broad consensus that the repo rate - the key policy rate - is likely to remain unchanged at 6.5 per cent in the three-day monetary policy review that got underway Wednesday, there is an expectation that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may announce a cut in the cash reserve ratio (CRR). The calls for a reduction in the CRR have gained momentum amid a tight liquidity condition in the banking system and shockingly low gross domestic product (GDP) growth, which slowed to a seven-month low of 5.4 per cent in the July- September 2024 quarter. 

India 10-year bond yield drops to 3-year low

INDIAN GOVERNMENT bond yields declined, with the 10-year benchmark yield falling to its lowest level in nearly three years, on rising optimism over monetary policy easing from the Reserve Bank of India this week. The benchmark 10-year yield ended at 6.6845 per cent, lowest level since February 18 2022, as compared with its previous close of 6.7121 per cent.