09 oct 2019...farming (zbnf), popularised by subhash palekar, is the most recent entry into this...

The Hindu Editorial

Editorial By Vishal SirClick here for today’s Video Basic to High English Click here

09 OCT 2019

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The Hindu Editorial





The Hindu Editorial


Balance (noun) = An even distribution of weight enabling someoneor something to remain upright and steady (तराज)ू

Enforcement (noun) = The act of compelling observance of or compliancewith a law, rule, or obligation (बाध्य करना)

Verdict (noun) = A decision on an issue of fact in a civil or criminalcase or an inquest (ननर्णय)

Unanimously (adv) = Without opposition; with the agreement of allpeople involved (सर्णसम्मनत से)

Imperative (adj) = Of vital importance; crucial (अननर्ायण)Enact (verb) = Put into practice (an idea or suggestion)Recourse (noun) = A source of help in a difficult situation (सहारा)Consular access = It is the ability of foreign nationals to have accessto consulate or embassy officials of their own country in the host nation




The Hindu Editorial


Untenable (adj) = (especially of a position or view) not able to bemaintained or defended against attack or objection(अस्थिर)

Snub (verb) = Rebuff, ignore, or spurn disdainfully(कोई महत्त्र् न देना)

Imminent (adj) = About to happen (आसन्न)Brinkmanship (noun) = The art or practice of pursuing a dangerous policy

to the limits of safety before stopping, especially inpolitics

Abstention (noun) = An instance of declining to vote for or against aproposal or motion (बचार्)

Severance (noun) = The action of ending a connection or relationship(पिृक्करर्)

Revocation (noun) = The official cancellation of a decree, decision, orpromise




The Hindu Editorial


Sanctity (noun) = The state or quality of being holy, sacred, or saintly(पवर्त्रता)

Premise (noun) = A previous statement or proposition from whichanother is inferred or follows as a conclusion (आधार)

Aeration (noun) = The introduction of air into a material (र्ायु-ममश्रर्)Concoction (noun) = A mixture of various ingredients or elements




The Hindu Editorial


Title: A life in the balance(India has other options to seek enforcement of the ICJ’s verdict in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case)

Context:In July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) had unanimously heldPakistan’s actions in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case to be violative of itsobligations under the Vienna Convention.

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The Hindu Editorial


➢ The ICJ noted that the obligation to provide effective review andreconsideration is “an obligation of result” which “must beperformed unconditionally”. The ICJ directed Pakistan to inform Mr.Jadhav forthwith about his rights and to arrange for his legalrepresentation, and provide India consular access.

Recourse to the UNSC➢ Indian diplomatic officials were granted consular access to Mr.

Jadhav six weeks after the verdict. Post this two-hour interaction,the External Affairs Ministry stated that “Jadhav appeared to beunder extreme pressure to parrot a false narrative to bolsterPakistan’s untenable claims”, most likely relating to Mr. Jadhav’spurported confessional statement.






The Hindu Editorial


➢ While a diplomatic and negotiated resolution is preferable, itdoesn’t seem imminent especially after the brinkmanship displayedby the Pakistani Prime Minister at the UN General Assembly.Fortunately, India has other options to seek enforcement of the ICJverdict.

➢ The ICJ has the exclusive authority over any dispute relating to themeaning and scope of its judgments. The UN Charter mandates thateach member state of the UN should comply with the ICJ’sdecisions. So, if Pakistan fails to perform the obligations incumbentupon it under the July judgment, then India has recourse to the UNSecurity Council (UNSC) under the Charter. At such initiation, if theUNSC deems it necessary, it can make recommendations or decidethe measures to be undertaken to give effect to the judgment.






The Hindu Editorial


➢ And while neither the UNSC nor the General Assembly will everinterfere with the judicial authority of the ICJ, the UNSC may “makerecommendations or decide upon measures to be taken to giveeffect to the judgment”.

➢ It concerns the supremacy and judicial sanctity of the ICJ andconsequently the rule of law. Resultantly, on the facts of the Jadhavcase and the unanimous nature of the ICJ verdict, Pakistan will findit tough to sustain any defence before the UNSC should India go thatway.

Final Words➢ Time is clearly of essence with Mr. Jadhav’s life in the balance; India

needs to act swiftly. This may be time to also remind ourselves andthe international community that “the law isn’t what’s written; it’swhat’s enforced.”






The Hindu Editorial

Editorial By Vishal SirClick here for today’s Video Basic to High English Click hereEditorial by Vishal Sir

Descriptive Question

Q. “What are other options that India has to seek enforcement of theICJ’s verdict in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, explain?”

(Word limit: 200)






The Hindu Editorial


Q.1

Who won the 2019 Nobel Prize in Medicine?a) William G Kaelin Jr, Peter J Ratcliffe & Gregg L Semenzab) James P. Allison & Tasuku Honjoc) Michael Rosbash, Michael W Young & Jeffrey C Halld) Yoshinori Ohsumi

Quiz Game






The Hindu Editorial


Q.2

Who has performed Shastra Puja in France after receiving the first Rafalefighter jet?a) PM Narendra Modib) President Ram Nath Kovindc) Rajnath Singh d) Nirmala Sitharaman

Quiz Game






The Hindu Editorial


Q.3

Which organisation hosted the celebrations of the first World Cotton Day in Geneva?a) United Nationsb) World Trade Organisationc) World Bankd) International Cotton Association

Quiz Game






The Hindu Editorial


Q.4

India recently received the first tranche of details about the Indian Citizens account in which institution?a) Swiss Banksb) Panama Papersc) Singapore Banksd) Cayman Islands Banks

Quiz Game






The Hindu Editorial


Q.5

Who has been awarded with the UNEP’s Asia Environmental Enforcement Award 2019?a) Ram Nath Kovindb) Prakash Javadekarc) Ramesh Pandey d) Maneka Gandhi

Quiz Game






The Hindu Editorial


Title: Stirring up the truth about ZBNF(Zero Budget Natural Farming has no scientific validation and itsinclusion into agricultural policy appears unwise)

Context:Most criticisms of modern agricultural practices are criticisms of post-Liebig developments in agricultural science in the 19th century thatchemical fertilizers began to be used in agriculture. In the 20th century,the criticisms levelled against Green Revolution technologies werecriticisms of the increasing “chemicalisation” of agriculture.






The Hindu Editorial


➢ In India, such alternatives and their variants included, amongothers, homoeo-farming, Vedic farming, Natu-eco farming,Agnihotra farming and Amrutpani farming. Zero Budget NaturalFarming (ZBNF), popularised by Subhash Palekar, is the most recententry into this group.

➢ According to Mr. Palekar, all knowledge created by agriculturaluniversities is false. He labels chemical fertilizers and pesticides as“demonic substances”. His own alternative of ZBNF is, thus, posedagainst both inorganic farming and organic farming.

➢ Mr. Palekar’s premise is that soil has all the nutrients plants need. Tomake these nutrients available to plants, we need theintermediation of microorganisms.

➢ For this, he recommends the “four wheels of ZBNF”: Bijamrit,Jivamrit, Mulching and Waaphasa. Bijamrit is the microbial coatingof seeds with formulations of cow urine and cow dung.






The Hindu Editorial


➢ Jivamrit is the enhancement of soil microbes using an inoculum ofcow dung, cow urine, and jaggery. Mulching is the covering of soilwith crops or crop residues. Waaphasa is the building up of soilhumus to increase soil aeration. In addition, ZBNF includes threemethods of insect and pest management: Agniastra, Brahmastra andNeemastra.

Unsubstantiated claims➢ To begin with, ZBNF is hardly zero budget. Many ingredients of Mr.

Palekar’s formulations have to be purchased. These apart, wages ofhired labour, imputed value of family labour, imputed rent overowned land, costs of maintaining cows and paid-out costs onelectricity and pump sets are all costs that ZBNF proponentsconveniently ignore.

➢ Second, there are no independent studies to validate the claims thatZBNF plots have a higher yield than non-ZBNF plots.






The Hindu Editorial


Standing reason on its head➢ Third, most of Mr. Palekar’s claims stand agricultural science on its

head. Indian soils are poor in organic matter content. About 59% ofsoils are low in available nitrogen; about 49% are low in availablephosphorus; and about 48% are low or medium in availablepotassium.

Scientific approach needed➢ Undoubtedly, improvement of soil health should be a priority

agenda in India’s agricultural policy. We need steps to check windand water erosion of soils. We need innovative technologies tominimise physical degradation of soils due to waterlogging, floodingand crusting. We need to improve the fertility of saline, acidic,alkaline and toxic soils by reclaiming them.






The Hindu Editorial


Final Words➢ In this sense, the inclusion of ZBNF into our agricultural policy by the

government appears unwise and imprudent.






The Hindu Editorial





09 oct 2019...farming (zbnf), popularised by subhash palekar, is the most recent entry into this...

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