Your Daily Brief: Current Affairs Insights and Updates

Decoding Good Governance On commemorated December,

• 25th commemorated Good Governance Day coinciding with the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

• This yearly event strives to enhance citizen awareness concerning accountability in governance and governmental procedures.

• Three new features on the IGOT (integrated government online training) Karmayogi platform: My IGOT, blended programs, and curated programs.

Good Governance

About:

• Governance refers to the processes, systems, and structures through which organizations, societies, or groups are directed, controlled, and managed.

• Good governance is defined as a set of values through which a public institution conducts public affairs and manages public resources in a way that respects human rights, the rule of law, and the needs of society. 

• The World Bank defines good governance in terms of the traditions and institutions by which authority in a country is exercised. This includes:

• the process by which governments are selected, monitored, and replaced

• the capacity of the government to effectively formulate and implement sound policies

• the respect of citizens and the state for the institutions that govern economic and social 

Worldwide Governance Indicators

The World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators project evaluates over 200 countries based on six fundamental measures of governance.

• Accountable

• Transparent

• The six indicators are:

• Voice and Accountability

• Political Stability and Absence of Violence

• Government Effectiveness

• Regulatory Quality Rule of Law

• Control of Corruption 

Illegal Sand Mining

• Bihar police arrested sand smugglers in a major crackdown against illegal sand mining.

• This operation, near the Sone River, signifies a significant step in the ongoing battle against powerful criminal syndicates involved in illicit sand mining activities. 

Sand Mining

About

• Sand mining is defined as the removal of primary natural sand and sand resources (mineral sands and aggregates) from the natural environment (terrestrial, riverine, coastal, or marine) for extracting valuable minerals, metals, crushed stone, sand and gravel for subsequent processing.

• This activity, driven by various factors, poses serious threats to ecosystems and communities.

Factors Contributing to Illegal Sand Mining:

Lack of Regulation and Enforcement:

• Inadequate regulatory frameworks and weak enforcement mechanisms contribute to the proliferation of illegal sand mining.

• High Demand for Construction Materials:

• The construction industry's hefty demand for sand fuels is illegal extraction, intensifying pressure on riverbeds and coastal areas due to the rising need for sand in construction projects.

• Rapid population growth and urbanization drive the need for construction, escalating the demand for sand.

Source of Sand in India:

• Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines (SSMMG) 2016 suggest that the source of sand in India are through

• River (riverbed and flood plain),

• Lakes and reservoirs,

• Agricultural fields,

• Coastal/marine sand, Palaeo-channels,

• Manufactured Sand (M- Sand).

Corruption and Mafia Influence:

• Corrupt practices and the influence of organized sand mafias contribute to the continuation of illegal mining.

• Collusion between authorities and illegal operators undermines efforts to control and regulate the sand mining industry.

Lack of Sustainable Alternatives:

• Limited adoption of sustainable alternatives like manufactured sand (M-sand) contributes to overreliance on riverbed sand.

• Inadequate promotion of eco-friendly alternatives maintains the demand for natural sand, exacerbating environmental consequences. 

• Weak Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Implementation:

• Ineffective implementation of ElAs for sand mining activities allows for unauthorized extraction.

• Insufficient public awareness and monitoring mechanisms contribute to illegal mining activities going unnoticed.

Consequences of Sand Mining:

Erosion and Habitat Disruption:

• The Geological Survey of India (GSI) notes that unregulated sand mining alters riverbeds, leading to increased erosion, changes in channel morphology, and disruption of aquatic habitats.

• Sand Mining leads to loss of stability in stream channels, threatening the survival of native species adapted to pre-mining habitat conditions.

• Initiatives to Prevent Sand Mining in India

• Mines and Mineral Development and Regulation Act, 1957 (MMDR Act):

• Sand is classified as a "minor mineral", under The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulations) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) and administrative control over minor minerals vests with the State Governments.

• Section 3(e) of the MMDR Act aims to prevent illegal mining, with the government implementing laws to curb illicit practices.

• The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 was recently passed by the Parliament to amend the MMDR Act, 1957.

• Flooding and Increased Sedimentation:

• Depletion of sand from river beds contributes to increased flooding and sedimentation in rivers and coastal areas.

• Altered flow patterns and sediment loads negatively impact aquatic ecosystems, affecting both flora and fauna.

Groundwater Depletion:

• Deep pits formed due to sand mining can cause a drop in the groundwater table.

• This in turn affects local drinking water wells, leading to water scarcity in surrounding areas.

Biodiversity Loss:

• Habitat disruption and degradation arising from activities such as sand mining lead to the significant loss of biodiversity, adversely affecting both aquatic and riparian species. The destructive impact extends even to mangrove forests.

• 2006 Environment Impact Assessment (EIΑ):

• The Supreme Court of India mandated that approval is required for all sand mining collection activities, even in areas less than 5 hectares.

• This decision aimed to address the severe impact of sand mining on the ecosystem, affecting plants, animals, and rivers.

• Sustainable Sand Management Guidelines (SSMG) 2016:

• Issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the main objectives of these guidelines include environmentally sustainable and socially responsible mining, conservation of the river equilibrium and its natural environment by protection and restoration of the ecological system,

• avoiding pollution of river water, and prevention of depletion

• of groundwater reserves.

China Bans Export of Rare Earth Technologies

• China has banned the export of technology to extract and separate Rare Earth Metals, as it overhauled a list of technologies deemed key to national security.

• It also banned the export of production technology for rare earth metals and alloy materials as well as technology to prepare some rare earth magnets.

• The move comes as Europe and the US scramble to wean themselves off rare earths from China, which accounts for 90% of global refined output.

Rare Earth Metals

• They are a set of seventeen metallic elements. These include the fifteen lanthanides on the periodic table in addition to scandium and yttrium which show similar physical and chemical properties to the lanthanides.

• The 17 Rare Earths are cerium (Ce), dysprosium (Dy), erbium (Er), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), holmium (Ho), lanthanum (La), lutetium (Lu), neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), scandium (Sc), terbium (Tb), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), and yttrium (Y).

Global Supply Chain Disruption:

• China is the world's top processor of rare earths. Given China's dominant role in rare earth production and processing, the ban could disrupt global supply chains for various industries reliant on these materials.

• Countries and industries heavily dependent on Chinese rare earth exports might face shortages or higher costs.

Strategic Dependence:

• It underscores the vulnerability of countries heavily reliant on China for critical materials.

• Dependence on a single source for such essential elements raises concerns about supply security, pushing nations to explore alternative

sources or domestic production.

Opportunities for Innovation:

• The ban might spur innovation and investments in alternative technologies and supply sources outside China.

• Countries may seek to diversify their rare earth supply chains, reducing dependence on a single market.

Supply Chain Diversification:

India, like many other countries, relies on Chinese rare earth exports. The ban presents an opportunity for India to reassess its dependence and explore diversification strategies.

• India may focus on developing domestic rare earth extraction and processing capabilities or seek partnerships with other nations to secure its supply.