Content:
- Fire and smoke
- A profound shift in the global order
- Strengthening parliamentary oversight in India
Fire and smoke
Context
- Recent Incidents:
- Kolkata (Mechua market, Burrabazar): 14 dead, including children; congested area, smoke inhalation, single staircase.
- Ajmer (Rajasthan): 4 dead in hotel fire; again, congested zone, poor escape routes, and delayed fire engine access.
- Pattern: Recurring urban fire disasters — inadequate infrastructure, poor compliance with fire safety norms, and congested city cores.
Relevance : GS 3(Disaster Management)
Practice Question : Analyze the role of urban planning in preventing fire-related tragedies in India. How can cities be redesigned to ensure better fire safety and accessibility for emergency services?(250 Words)
Key Structural and Systemic Issues
Congested Urban Layouts
- Narrow lanes and unplanned growth restrict fire engine access.
- Dense commercial and residential clustering in inner cities.
Violation of Fire Safety Norms
- Single staircases in multi-storey buildings.
- Absence of fire escapes and emergency exits.
- Use of flammable construction materials from earlier decades.
Inadequate Urban Planning and Upgradation
- Old city cores like Kolkata’s Burrabazar remain largely unreconstructed.
- Unlike Mumbai or Delhi, limited redevelopment of inner cities.
Weak Emergency Preparedness
- Lack of retractable external staircases or rescue systems.
- Fire services under-equipped: limited breathing apparatuses and constrained entry points.
Smoke as Primary Killer
- Victims often die due to asphyxiation, not burns.
- Smoke travels upward, blocking exits in buildings with limited ventilation.
Governance and Policy Failures
- Poor enforcement of existing building codes and safety regulations.
- Lack of fire audits and regular inspections in high-density zones.
- Urban governance ignores retrofitting of old buildings with fire-retardant materials.
- Disaster mitigation often reactive, not preventive.
Recommendations (Policy + Infrastructure)
Urban Fire Safety Audits
- Mandatory for hotels, hospitals, schools, and buildings in congested areas.
- Time-bound compliance with National Building Code and State Fire Safety Regulations.
Structural Retrofitting
- Use of fire-retardant coatings and non-flammable materials.
- Installation of external emergency staircases in old buildings (after structural evaluation).
Urban Redesign Measures
- Maintain low-height sidewalks for fire engine maneuverability.
- Incentivize decentralization of commercial activities from hyper-dense urban cores.
Capacity Building of Fire Services
- Equip with modern breathing apparatuses, hydraulic ladders, and smoke-penetrating cameras.
- Train local volunteers and building staff in basic fire response protocols.
Public Awareness and Accountability
- Sensitization campaigns on evacuation drills and fire hazard reporting.
- Strict penal action for violation of fire safety norms by private establishments.
Way Forward
- Fire safety is not just a technical issue — it’s a matter of urban governance, resilience, and accountability.
- Preventable tragedies will continue unless planning bodies, municipal authorities, and citizens act cohesively.
- India’s path to sustainable urbanization must be rooted in safety, retrofitting, and inclusive redevelopment.
A profound shift in the global order
Changing Global Order and Strategic Inflection
- India is at a global inflection point comparable to the 1498 arrival of Vasco da Gama — passive stance is no longer viable.
- Global value chains are being reshaped through force, not trade — this is a strategic opportunity for India.
Relevance : GS 2(International Relations) ,GS 3(Economic Growth)
Practice Question : In the context of the changing global order, discuss the implications of the shift from multilateralism to bilateralism in international relations. How should India leverage this shift to strengthen its strategic position in the global economy? (250 Words)
End of Post-Colonial Multilateralism
- The 75-year-old globalisation framework based on donor-recipient dichotomy is obsolete.
- China has overtaken the U.S. in donor roles and share of global manufacturing.
- The WTO and UN have diminished influence; U.S. withdrawals mark this trend.
- COVID-19 revealed selfishness of G-7 nations — hoarded vaccines and medical supplies.
U.S. Strategy: From Multilateralism to Bilateralism
- Trump’s policies reflected U.S. adjustment to a multipolar world.
- Bilateral deals now override multilateral rules, diminishing developing nations’ privileges.
- U.S. redefining prosperity and power — others must also rethink strategies.
Post-WTO Power Realignment
- G-7 and G-20 no longer control global agenda-setting — power is fragmented.
- Since 2020, India, U.S., EU, and China contributed ~75% of global growth.
- Asia is regaining its historical share of global power (two-thirds).
- Russia is pivoting towards Asia — stronger ties with India and China.
India’s Strategic Opportunity
- India must replicate China’s WTO-era strategic rise in the new “post-WTO” world.
- Managing U.S. trade pressure (agriculture, energy) and China ties is essential.
- PM Modi’s call for an “Asian Century” can be a foundation for strategic outreach.
Regional Partnerships: ASEAN & Africa
- India should promote an Asian common market amidst ASEAN instability.
- WTO’s MFN clause is weakening — bilateralism is the new norm.
- India must build alternative cooperative architecture with ASEAN and African Union — their future consumption will outpace the West.
Need for New Governance Principles
- India should propose new global governance principles for a more equal world.
- New trade rules should reduce non-tariff barriers and integrate goods, services, and investment.
- Diplomatic focus should shift from UN resolutions to trade, tech, and innovation.
Neglect of Innovation in Foreign Policy
- Historically, India focused on diplomacy and peace, not innovation or trade.
- Nehru’s shift from Bandung (1955) to Non-Aligned Movement (1961) diluted economic strategy.
- India ignored global trends: the West grew via tech-academia-industry linkages.
Reclaiming Technological Leadership
- India must now build consensus on nurturing talent, skills, and employment.
- East (not West) offers models of growth not built on colonialism.
- India should seek complementarities with China, ASEAN, and Africa in the new value chains.
Tech Sovereignty and Digital Power
- India has potential to lead in open-source software, shaping global tech norms.
- China’s Huawei is producing 7nm chips; India can lead in open-source AI (e.g., DeepSeek).
- India had software scale; China had hardware — India must regain momentum.
Lessons from China
- China’s rise is due to national consensus and endogenous development paths.
- GDP is a lagging indicator — patents and innovation indicate real future prosperity.
- Affordable electricity can incentivize economic restructuring and green growth.
Vision for India
- India should leverage its digital stack, large data pools, and human capital to build world-leading large language models (LLMs).
- AI is the new frontier of wealth and global influence — India’s past strength in skills (not monopoly) must be revived.
- India must craft its future based on self-driven innovation — not Western models.
Strengthening parliamentary oversight in India
The article discusses the diminishing effectiveness of parliamentary oversight in India, highlighting the challenges faced by mechanisms like Question Hour and parliamentary committees. It proposes reforms such as post-legislative scrutiny, better use of technology, and institutional strengthening to enhance accountability and governance.
Relevance : GS 2(Polity ,Constitution )
Practice Question : Despite the constitutional mandate, parliamentary oversight in India remains weak in practice. Critically examine the reasons and suggest comprehensive reforms to strengthen the legislative accountability framework.(250 Words)
Historical Context & Foundational Argument
- Ambedkar’s Justification: Parliamentary system ensures daily accountability (through questions, debates) and periodic accountability (through elections).
- Trade-off: Less stability for more accountability — a deliberate democratic choice.
Current Deficits in Oversight
- Declining Effectiveness of Question Hour:
- Disrupted sessions, adjournments dilute scrutiny.
- 17th Lok Sabha stats: Only 60% (Lok Sabha) and 52% (Rajya Sabha) Question Hour functioned.
- Parliamentary Committees:
- Detailed reports often ignored in Parliament.
- Limited diversity in consultations; lack of institutional continuity.
- Reports not debated; no formal ministerial response mandated.
Notable Success Stories of Oversight
- Standing Committees:
- Railways (2015): Waiver of dividend payments adopted in 2016.
- Transport (2017): Influenced Motor Vehicles Bill; road safety board created.
- Other Committees:
- Public Undertakings: Land acquisition reforms for NHAI.
- Estimates Committee: Boosted domestic uranium mining.
- PAC: Exposed 2010 CWG scams; 80% of ~180 annual recommendations accepted.
Proposed Reforms
- Post-Legislative Scrutiny:
- No formal system to track law effectiveness.
- UK model: Departmental reviews within 3–5 years, reviewed by committees.
- Suggestion: Subcommittees or specialised body for implementation audits.
- Strengthening Committee System:
- Make findings accessible via translations, visual explainers, videos.
- Debate select reports on the floor; mandatory ministerial response.
- Provide dedicated research & technical support to committees.
Leveraging Technology
- Challenges: MPs lack research staff and tools to parse complex documents.
- Solution: Use AI & data analytics to:
- Identify irregularities.
- Track spending and trends.
- Formulate sharper, evidence-based questions.
Quote for Enrichment :
“The purpose of oversight is not to weaken the administration, but to invest it with meaningful parliamentary support.” — K.R. Narayanan
Way Forward :
- Institutionalise impact evaluation of laws.
- Ensure real-time public dashboards on committee performance.
- Regular orientation and capacity-building of MPs.
- Cross-party consensus on preserving Question Hour and debate time.
