Editorial 1: When El Nino and the monsoon meet in India: Rain checks for our times
Recent Context:
- The monsoon this year indicates that the climate has changed and El Nino is gaining momentum and making its presence felt.
- El Nino is characterised by the warming of the ocean surface temperatures in the Central and Eastern Equatorial Pacific Ocean.
- This can significantly influence weather patterns and ocean conditions. A delayed and unpredictable monsoon impacts lives, livelihoods and infrastructure.
- The increasing unpredictability of the monsoon including incessant and record-breaking rainy days is a cause for concern
Influence on Indian monsoon by various internal and external factors:
- The Indian monsoon is a complex phenomenon influenced by various internal and external factors. El Nino is an external driver that modulates the monsoon’s intensity and spatial distribution.
- However, it is important to note that El Nino alone cannot account for all monsoonal variations.
- Other regional phenomena, such as the Indian Ocean Dipole and the Madden-Julian Oscillation, also significantly shape monsoon dynamics
- El Nino is associated with weak monsoons and lower-than-average rainfall in India. Rainfall trends in India over 132 years suggest that severe drought and drought-like conditions have always occurred in El Nino years.
- The location of the El Nino event also influences its effects on the Indian monsoon warming in the Central Pacific Ocean affects it more than the warming in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Impact of climatic change:
- In June, the western coast of the country witnessed the high-intensity cyclone Biparjoy.
- The Central, Eastern and Northern parts experienced heat stress. Parts of the country saw delayed and erratic onset of the monsoon.
- This unpredictability will hurt the agriculture sector.
- More than three-quarters of India’s farmlands are rain-fed. Weak, erratic, or incessant rainfall will hurt lives and livelihoods
How to tackle monsoon related challenges:
- First, there is need to Identify and map associated hazards:
- the country needs to identify the monsoon variability-related impacts and more importantly, map its associated hazards (landslides, flash floods, etc) risks, and vulnerability at the hyper-granular level.
- The mapping should include hard losses (infrastructure and finances) and soft losses (livelihoods, migration).
- India needs a high-resolution monsoon variability index to track critical vulnerabilities at the block and city level and simultaneously enhance early warning systems and forecasting.
- Second, adopting proactive approach while integrating finance strategies:
- In order to address the socioeconomic risks posed by monsoon variability, India must embrace a proactive approach that integrates blended finance strategies.
- India’s central bank is closely monitoring El Nino and the monsoon’s patterns. By blending public and private capital, India can come to terms with the financial risks associated with the variability of monsoons.
- Mandatory reporting by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) will enable lenders, insurers, and regulatory authorities to make risk-informed business decisions, foster resilient value chains, and minimise loss and damage.
- Embracing blended finance mechanisms enhances sectoral resilience and facilitates the adoption of effective risk-transfer mechanisms, providing the much-needed financial mechanisms for absorbing shocks from climatological disruptions like monsoonal variability.
- Third, Adopting Nature based approach for restoration, revival, and rehabilitation of natural ecosystems:
- India must prioritise the restoration, revival, and rehabilitation of natural ecosystems like mangroves, wetlands, and forests.
- This should become a policy imperative. Restoration of degraded land in a sustainable manner can halt biodiversity loss and reinstate ecosystem services.
- Nature-based approaches offer holistic solutions to climate challenges and can help reduce flood and drought risk, improve water quality and protect coastal property.
- Investing in nature-based systems provides a cost-effective option to address climate change and other sustainable development goals while generating economic opportunities.
Conclusion
- Therefore, there is need to persuade all sections of society to accept the shared responsibility to address climate change and make India monsoon-variability ready.
- The world has deferred climate action for too long. Any further delay will not only make things difficult for the current generation but also hurt the prospects of future generations.
Editorial 2: Rule 176 vs Rule 267: What Govt agrees to, what Opp demands
Recent Context:
- Recently, the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament was disrupted after the government and the Opposition differed on the format of the discussion on the Manipur situation.
- While the government agreed for a short-duration discussion, the Opposition insisted that the Prime Minister make a suo motu statement followed by a discussion, suspending all business under Rule 267.
Motions in Parliament – Devices of Parliamentary Proceedings and its type:
- Motions are used in parliament by members to bring up and address topics of public concern.
- These procedures enable members to successfully communicate their concerns in the respective Houses and assist the Parliament in adapting to the changing requirements of the public
Different forms of motions in parliament and their descriptions
- Adjournment Motion:
- An extraordinary procedure is used to call the attention of the Lower House in case of an urgency, where it will be too late to give proper notice. The adjournment motion is presented as a matter of public concern.
- It needs the assent of 50 members to be able to admit. It is usually raised when the matter requires the immediate attention of all the members of Parliament and is a threat to the integrity of the nation.
- Calling Attention Motion
- It is used to invite the attention of the respective minister to a pressing public issue. Demands an official statement in response. Hence, the name call attention motion.
- This motion can be presented in both houses of Parliament [Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha]. The time limit for presenting the motion is 7 minutes, this can be followed by questions.
- Censure Motion
- It can be moved against one minister or the entire Council of Ministers. Used to censure them for some grievous actions.
- This type of motion can be presented by the opposition party to criticize the ministers, government, or the policies introduced by the government. This motion indicates harsh criticism and ardent disagreement.
- The motion of Thanks
- The President addresses the opening session of each fiscal year and the first session following each general election.
- If this motion cannot be passed, the government is deemed to have lost its majority.
- No-Confidence Motion
- It is based on the principle of collective responsibility. If a no-confidence motion is passed, the government is said to have lost its majority.
- A simple majority (51%) is needed to pass the no-confidence motion.
- This motion can only be presented in Lok Sabha.
What is Rule 267 and Rule 176
- According to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States, Rule 267 relates to suspension of rules.
- It says, “Any member, may, with the consent of the Chairman, move that any rule may be suspended in its application to a motion related to the business listed before the Council of that day and if the motion is carried, the rule in question shall be suspended for the time being:
- Provided further that this rule shall not apply where specific provision already exists for suspension of a rule under a particular chapter of the Rules.”
- Short-duration discussion, on the other hand, is a brief discussion not exceeding two-and-a-half hours under Rule 176.
- It says that “any member desirous of raising discussion on a matter of urgent public importance may give notice in writing to the Secretary-General specifying clearly and precisely the matter to be raised:
- Provided that the notice shall be accompanied by an explanatory note stating reasons for raising discussion on the matter in question:
- Provided further that the notice shall be supported by the signatures of at least two other members.”
- Once the Chairman admits the notice, the rules say he, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, will fix the date on which such matter may be taken up for discussion and allow such time for discussion, not exceeding two and a half hours.
- Therefore, it means that a short-duration discussion under Rule 176 can be taken up immediately, a few hours later, the next day or can be fixed for a later date and time. But the rule says there shall be no formal motion or voting under a short duration discussion. “The member who has given notice may make a short statement and the Minister shall reply shortly,” the rule says.
The expert views over Rule 267 and Rule 167
- Experts say opposition parties had been mistakenly using Rule 267 as an equivalent to the adjournment motion in Lok Sabha.
- In case of adjournment motion, governed by Rules 56-63 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, the discussion is based on a motion.
- The rule defines adjournment motion as “a motion for an adjournment of the business of the House for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance may be made with the consent of the Speaker”.
- And the rules say “not more than one such motion shall be made at the same sitting.
- According to Former Lok Sabha secretary general P D T Achari
- “Rule 267 is to suspend a particular rule in relation to a business which is listed in the agenda.
- For instance, if a Bill is to be introduced…it would be listed..but if a rule is coming in the way…267 is aimed at suspending the rule. That is the real purpose of Rule 267.”
- And “Adjournment motion is to take up for discussion a subject of urgent nature…not just discussion; the adjournment motion has an element of censure. That is the privilege of Lok Sabha because LS can bring down a government which the RS cannot do , that is why there is no adjournment motion in Rajya Sabha.
- There is no rule in Rajya Sabha which has an element of censure…so the Opposition has always been using Rule 267…”