Editorial 1: Who should own the world’s lithium?
Context
- The news of potentially significant reserves of lithium, an element needed to manufacture batteries used in electric cars and other renewable energy infrastructure, in Jammu and Kashmir has been welcomed universally.
Status of India’s lithium industry
- Lithium’s discovery in Jammu and Kashmir is possibly not the element’s first discovery in the nation. Around 1,600 tonnes of lithium reserves were found in Mandya, Karnataka. But there hasn’t been any commercial supply of the metal from that site till now.
- In addition to that, the government is also running a Lithium exploration program in several other states including Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan.
- Currently, India is dependent on imports. In fiscal 2022, India imported lithium and lithium ion worth almost ₹14,000 crores. The demand is likely to explode in the future.
- With 50% of the deposits concentrated in three South American countries—Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile—the lithium triangle is where the majority of the world’s lithium reserves are located. China, on the other hand, has an advantage over other nations and is in charge of 75% of the world’s lithium refining.
Uses of Lithium
- Lithium is used in many industries and its usage is going to significantly increase in the coming decades.
- Lithium is a soft, shiny grey metal found in the earth’s crust. It is a highly reactive and alkaline metal.
- It is mainly used in ceramics and glasses, greases, pharmaceutical compounds, air conditioners and aluminium production, etc.
- Its main use is in batteries due to its highest energy storage capacity per kilogram. Its high energy storage capacity combined with its extremely light weight makes it a perfect choice for electric car makers like Tesla.
Owning these minerals
- In July 2013, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India ruled that the owner of the land has rights to everything beneath, “down to the centre of the earth”.
- Yet, large areas of land, including forests — which make up more than 22% of India’s landmass — hills, mountains, and revenue wasteland are publicly owned.
- The Supreme Court also recalled that the Union government could always ban private actors from mining sensitive minerals, as is already the case with uranium under the Atomic Energy Act 1962.
- In today’s context, lithium is as important as, if not more than, uranium.
Challenges with Lithium Mining
- It can have adverse impacts on the environment, water, soil and air pollution. Extracting lithium from its ore is highly water-intensive, taking about 2.2 million litres of water for one tonne of lithium.
- The Himalayas are a highly fragile and eco-sensitive region and is vulnerable to long-term adverse consequences of unplanned development works.
- The Himalayan region between J&K is an eco-sensitive region, and mining could lead to a significant loss of biodiversity.
- The Himalayas are a source of so many rivers, any mining activity is going to pollute the entire riparian ecosystem.
- Mining and processing lithium can further jeopardise food security through its excessive carbon emissions, water, and land use methods.
- In areas that already struggle with clean water availability and accessibility, lithium water-mining techniques could cause local water basins to be contaminated, and use an already scarce water supply meant for rural communities, livestock, and crops.
Way forward
- As India explores and develops its own lithium reserves, it is notable that the appropriate development of this sector will require a very high level of effectiveness on the part of the Indian state.
- Much of India’s mineral wealth is mined from regions with very high levels of poverty, environmental degradation, and lax regulation.
- Effective and careful management of the sector should be paramount if India’s rare minerals development is to meet its multiple goals — social wellbeing, environmental safety, and national energy security.
Editorial 2: Wrestling for justice
Context
- Wrestling Federation needs an overhaul in the wake of the allegations made by wrestlers demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexual harassment.
About Sexual harassment in sport
- Sexual harassment is “where any form of unwanted verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature occurs, with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person, in particular when creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment”.
- Sexual harassment sports are regarded as an abuse of professional ethics, status, and power.
Impacts
- Sexual harassment in sports lowers self-esteem and limits the ability of women and girls to develop their full potential in sports and fitness activities.
- It compromises the professional integrity of the coach and the educational mission of athletics
- It subverts the mission of sports organizations and educational institutions to provide leadership and resources for the purpose of improving the physical, mental and emotional well-being of all females through sports and fitness participation
- In a country like India where the sport is still not considered a viable career option, incidents of sexual harassment in sports could discourage parents from sending their daughters to stadiums.
Initiatives
- The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has issued guidelines to the National Sports Federation of India (NSFOI) that women coach mandatorily accompany the contingent with female athletes during domestic or international travel.
- The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to the Union Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry and the Sports Authority of India on the reported inappropriate behaviour of a coaches.
- The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act was passed in 2013. It defines sexual harassment, lays down the procedures for a complaint and inquiry, and the action to be taken. It broadens the Vishaka guidelines, which were already in place.
- Vishaka guidelines: They are considered to be the most powerful tool for women to guard them against sexual harassment and punish the guilty. Supreme Court laid down the norms in ‘Vishaka and others Vs State of Rajasthan and others.
- SHe-Box: The Ministry of Women & Child Development launched the Sexual Harassment electronic Box (SHe-Box) to provide single window access to every woman, irrespective of her work status, whether working in the organized or unorganized, private or public sector, to facilitate the registration of complaint related to sexual harassment.
- The National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked all States to ensure strict implementation of the sexual harassment at workplace law by coaching centres and educational institutes.
Suggestions
- Leaders of sports governing bodies, educational institutions, and athletic programs need to be encouraged to formulate, implement and evaluate policies on sexual harassment.
- The policy should clearly define sexual harassment and explain the sanctions for sexual harassment.
- Develop a complaint procedure for reporting sexual harassment
- Ensure that procedures for reporting sexual harassment protect the privacy of any athlete or coach involved as much as possible.
- All athletes should be encouraged to immediately report an incident she believes is a form of sexual harassment by a coach, whether the incident was directed at her or she observed it happening to someone else
- The International Olympic Committee must help boost safeguards for athletes against sexual abuse or risk losing them
Conclusion
- The allegations against Mr. Singh are of a serious nature that diminish his capacity to be at the helm of a prestigious sporting body. While the criminal investigation must not be influenced by street protest, the message has to be clear to all, particularly the victims and the perpetrators, that there is zero tolerance of sexual harassment in India.