Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 17 July 2025

Content :

1. Safe havens no more
2. A tectonic shift in thinking to build seismic resilience

Safe havens no more

Recent incidents across Indian educational institutions and workplaces highlight an alarming rise in sexual violence in spaces once considered safe. The Odisha college student’s suicide underscores institutional apathy and systemic failure in addressing such grievances.

Relevance : GS 1: Indian Society; GS 2: Governance; GS 4: Ethics

Practice Question : Despite the presence of legal frameworks like the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, sexual violence in educational and professional institutions persists. Critically examine the systemic issues involved and suggest comprehensive reforms. (10 Marks, 150 words)

Key Issues Highlighted:

• Disturbing Trend: Sharp rise in sexual violence cases in presumed “safe” spaces — schools, colleges, workplaces.
• Trigger Case: Suicide of a student in Odisha after harassment complaints were ignored — reflects systemic apathy.
• Recurring Pattern: Cases from Bengal, Karnataka, and Delhi show institutional failure is widespread, not isolated.

Legal Framework and Failure:

• POSH Act 2013: Mandates Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) in all workplaces, including educational institutions.
• Compliance Gaps: ICCs often non-functional or absent — Odisha govt’s 24-hour directive to colleges shows reactive rather than proactive approach.
• Nirbhaya Case Aftermath: Despite stricter laws post-2012, implementation remains weak and sporadic.

Data Insights (NCRB 2022):

• Total crimes against women: 4,45,256 (↑ 4% over 2021)
  • Cruelty by husband/relatives: 31.4%
  • Assault to outrage modesty: 18.7%
  • Rape: 7.1%
• Underreporting: Real incidence likely higher; stigma and fear deter reporting.

Critical Analysis:

• Systemic Breakdown: Bureaucratic inertia, absence of grievance redressal, and power asymmetries enable repeat violations.
• From Protectors to Predators: When authority figures (teachers, principals) are the accused, it erodes trust in institutions.
• Justice Delayed is Death Delivered: The Odisha case reflects how delayed justice can lead to tragic consequences.

Way Forward:

• Mandatory ICC Audits: Annual public disclosures on ICC constitution and functioning.
• Gender Sensitisation: Include modules in school/college curriculum.
• Whistleblower Protection: Legal and psychological support for complainants.
• Independent Oversight: Ombudsman for educational institutions to prevent internal collusion.

Ethical Dimensions :

• Responsibility of Institutions: Failure to act is not neutral — it’s enabling harm.
• Moral Courage: Need to build a culture where speaking up is safe and valued.
• Public Accountability: Justice must go beyond symbolism to sustained structural change.

Conclusion

While legal safeguards like the POSH Act exist, mere enactment is insufficient without enforcement, accountability, and gender-sensitive reform. Institutional silence must end to ensure that justice and safety are non-negotiable rights, not distant promises.

Legal & Policy Framework against sexual violence

• Article 21: Right to life includes dignity and safety of women.
• Article 15(3) & 42: State can make special laws for women; ensures humane work conditions.
• POSH Act, 2013: Mandatory ICC in all institutions; weak implementation on campuses.
• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023:
  • Sec 73: Sexual harassment
  • Sec 63: Rape
  • Sec 109: Abetment of suicide
• POCSO Act, 2012: Strict action in cases involving girls below 18 years.
• UGC SAKSHAM Guidelines: Safety framework in universities.
• SHE-Box: Centralized online harassment complaint portal.
• NEP 2020: Pushes gender-inclusion and safe learning spaces.

A tectonic shift in thinking to build seismic resilience

The 4.4 magnitude tremor felt in Delhi on July 10, 2025, was mild in intensity but deeply symbolic in impact. It has reignited urgent concerns about India’s seismic vulnerability, especially in rapidly urbanising and structurally fragile cities.

Relevance : GS1 – Geography, GS3 – Disaster Management, Infrastructure; GS2 – Governance

Practice Question : India’s seismic vulnerability is more a failure of governance than geology. Examine with reference to recent tremors and the Himalayan seismic zone. Suggest structural and policy reforms for earthquake disaster preparedness. (250 words)

Key Concerns Raised:

-Delhi as a High-Risk Seismic Zone

• Lies in Seismic Zone IV (PGA: 0.24g), near the Himalayan plate boundary.
• Over 80% of buildings (especially pre-2000) non-compliant with seismic code IS 1893:2016.
• Over 5,000 high-rises, many on liquefaction-prone soils, face structural instability.

-Rising Global Seismic Activity (2025 Highlights)

• Myanmar–Thailand quake (7.7) – March 28
• Tibetan quake (5.7) – May 12
• Greece quake (6.2) – May 22
• Signals tectonic restlessness in the Himalayan belt and beyond.

-Himalayan Seismic Gap: A Ticking Time Bomb

• Indian Plate moves 4–5 cm/year, colliding with Eurasian Plate.
• Region overdue for a “Great Himalayan Earthquake” (Magnitude 8+).
• Estimated impact zone: 300 million+ people in India, Nepal, Bhutan.

-Failures in Preparedness

• Weak enforcement of IS codes, poor retrofitting, lax urban planning.
• Odisha, Guwahati, Bhuj, and the Northeast need tailored seismic action plans.
• Bhuj 2001 (M7.7, 20,000 deaths) and Nepal 2015 (M7.8) are precedents ignored.

Recommendations & Way Forward

– Infrastructure Upgradation

• Steel jacketing, ductile detailing, deep pile foundations, and base isolation must be standard.
• Avoid construction on floodplains (e.g., Brahmaputra, Yamuna).
• Annual retrofitting budget: ₹50,000 crore (as per expert estimates).

–Code Enforcement

• Strict compliance with IS 1893:2016 across Zones IV & V.
• Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and local bodies must lead audits.
• Establish clear penalties for non-compliance in both public and private sectors.

-Public Awareness & Early Warnings

• Expand IndiaQuake App coverage to rural and hilly zones.
• Conduct mock drills, promote emergency kits, and educate on evacuation.

– International Best Practices

• Bangkok: High-strength concrete & mandatory ductile detailing.
• Myanmar’s failure: Collapse due to unreinforced masonry — a warning for India.

Zones of Critical Concern

Critical Analysis

• Urbanisation without seismic consideration is a disaster multiplier.
• The seismic gap is not just geographic, but governance-related — between laws on paper and action on ground.
• Earthquake preparedness must shift from reactive to anticipatory governance.

Conclusion

Delhi’s tremor is a stark reminder that nature may not give a second warning. India must build resilience now — through code compliance, retrofitting, and public education — or face irreversible loss when the “Great Himalayan Earthquake” strikes.

Basics of Earthquakes

Definition:
A sudden release of energy in the Earth’s crust that creates seismic waves.

Causes of Earthquakes

• Tectonic Movements (most common) – movement of lithospheric plates.
• Volcanic Activity – due to magma movement.
• Human-Induced – mining, reservoir-induced, nuclear tests.
• Collapse Earthquakes – due to cavern collapse (localized).

Types of Seismic Waves

• P-Waves (Primary): Fastest, travel through solids, liquids, gases; compressional.
• S-Waves (Secondary): Slower, travel only through solids; shear waves.
• Surface Waves: Travel along Earth’s surface; cause maximum destruction.

Focus and Epicenter

• Focus (Hypocenter): Point inside Earth where energy is released.
• Epicenter: Point directly above focus on the surface.

Measurement Scales

• Richter Scale: Measures magnitude (energy released); logarithmic.
• Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw): More accurate, especially for large quakes.
• Mercalli Scale: Measures intensity (impact) on a 1–12 scale.

Distribution

• Most earthquakes occur along plate boundaries (Pacific Ring of Fire, Himalayan Belt).
• Intraplate earthquakes also occur (e.g., Latur 1993).

Earthquake Zones in India

• Zone V (Highest risk): J&K, NE States, Uttarakhand, parts of Himachal and Bihar.
• Zone IV: Delhi, parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, and West Bengal.