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Friday, February 12, 2021 | Vol. 40, No. 07

Indo American News

February 12, 2021

Published weekly from Houston, TX

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Special Reports Community Briefs Local Politics South Asians in the News

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Glacier Flash Flood Kills 31, Injures 100s

$1.4 Trillion Energy Opportunity

P3 Kohli: “Don’t Jump on India”

P6 ‘Madam Chief Minister’: Pass

Indo-American News • Friday february 12, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

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INDIA

February 12, 2021

Explained: Glacial Lakes — Risks, Solutions after Devastating Flash Flood

Flash flood in Dhauli Ganga rive in Uttarakhand last Sunday. (Photo: PTI)

By Amitabh Sinha New Delhi: Sunday’s flash floods in Uttarakhand underline the risk. One of India’s leading glaciologists discusses ways to assess and minimise this. Excerpts from an interview with D P Dobhal, a glaciologist, formerly associated with the Dehradun-based Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology. He has worked extensively on Himalayan glaciers. What could be behind the disaster in Uttarakhand? It seems like an incident triggered by a snow avalanche. The area had seen two days of heavy snowfall last week. And suddenly the weather cleared and became a little warmer. That seems to have led to some melting of snow, triggering an avalanche, which resulted in a series of events leading to the flash floods. But isn’t an avalanche unusual at this time of the year? It is not. Such events happen in the higher ranges. They do not cause any damage in the remote areas. Actually, what happens in an event like this is that if there is a sudden change in temperature after snowfall, the fresh snow on the surface begins to melt and slip because of the higher ambient temperature. Also, most of the glaciers in the area contain large amounts of debris. When the snow begins to slip, it carries with it some of the debris. It ultimately becomes very strong, eroding everything that comes in the way.

The scientific teams would be reaching the spot soon, and we would get to know what happened. The real problem is in reaching there. These are inaccessible areas… Once they are there, it would not be very difficult to assess. How big is the threat of such incidents continuing? There are over 1,000 glaciers in Uttarakhand. Almost all of them are receding. Most of the glaciers also have debris cover. When glaciers retreat due to rising temperatures, the snow melts but the debris remains. This debris aids in the formation of lakes. Over the years, the frequency of formation of these lakes has increased. But despite that, there are not many GLOF (glacial lake outburst flood) events happening in Uttarakhand. Not as many as in Sikkim, for example. The is because Uttarakhand has very steep slopes, and the water manages to find a way out. But there are over 1,200 big and small lakes in the high mountains of Uttarakhand. Many of them are increasing in size. A lot of them do pose a threat of similar kinds of incidents. It is extremely important to regularly monitor these lakes, and measure the rates at which they are increasing or shrinking. A threat assessment needs to be done and regularly updated, and this has to be incorporated into the planning process for all kinds of activities. So why is this not happening? I would not say the work is not happening. There are a lot more

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) soldiers rejoice as a man is rescued from the Tapovan tunnel in Uttarakhand Sunday. (Photo courtesy: ITBP)

glaciologists and others who are working in the area, and generating data. The main problem is the lack of coordination and focus. There are glaciologists, geologists, hydrologists, mathematical modellers, remote sensing people, environmental scientists, and more. Multiple scientific groups and institutions are involved. But there is no coherent output. Lots of data are being generated but not being put to good use. Even now, I guess there are eight to ten scientific teams on its way to the spot. Why do you need so many teams? One team with all relevant experts should be enough. All these groups will collect data, go back and write reports, and publish their findings. And all will be forgotten until the next disaster strikes us. Uttarakhand flash floods, Ittarakhand death toll, Uttarakhand people missing, survivors, Uttarakhand tunnel, Uttarakhand news, Indian express news Rescue works underway near Raini village on Thursday. I think we desperately need a nodal national agency that can coordinate all the research and also the operational things happening in this region. What about the mission on Himalayan Ecosystem set up under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, and the plan to set up a National Centre for Himalayan Glaciology? The plan for that centre was dropped. Someone in the govern-

ment decided it was not required. I don’t understand how it could be not required. Even the separate centre functioning at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (in Dehradun) has been merged with the institute. The Himalayan Ecosystem mission does not get into the kind of activities that I am talking about. There has to be one agency dedicated to the job. There are so many reports and data lying in the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Ministry of Environment and Forests, even ISRO and other places. Someone needs to put these reports together, create a database, and I think, within a year, we can start to focus on operational matters. What are these operational matters? It is not possible to completely prevent these kinds of incidents. But their potential to cause destruction can certainly be minimised. I will give you an example. The Lonar lake in Sikkim is one of the largest glacial lakes in the country. Recently, scientists have found a way to let the waters of this lake slowly drain at the nearby river at a regulated rate, so that there is no flooding, and the pressure on the lake does not become unbearable. Such solutions can be applied in Uttarakhand, and some work is being done. But you cannot possibly go after applying these kind of solutions to each of the 1,000-plus lakes. A detailed study needs to be conducted to identify the ones that pose the

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maximum risk, monitor them continuously, and look for possible solutions that are suitable to local environments. In fact, such an exercise needs to be done not just in Uttarakhand but in the entire Himalayan region. Could large hydroelectric dams have contributed to Sunday’s disaster? There are no storage dams being constructed in this area. The hydropower projects in this area are run-of-the-river type, and rightly so. It is not prudent to construct dams at such heights. Again, it is a question of sustainable management. When a DPR (detailed project report) for any project is done, several studies are carried out — environmental assessment, river flow, pollution, forests. But glaciology is not part of these DPRs. I think this is a major flaw. Overall environmental assessment must also take into account the frequency of landslides and snow avalanches, the possibility of lake formation upstream, the ice volume in the glaciers, whether the glaciers are retreating or advancing, and the rate at which these changes are happening. I think these should be basic inputs. Ultimately, if a disaster strikes, it will impact not just the projects themselves, but also the people. -- Indian Express D P Dobhal is a glaciologist, formerly associated with the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology. He has worked extensively on Himalayan glaciers.

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Indo-American News • Friday, february 12, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

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INDIA

February 12, 2021

IEA Sees $1.4 Trillion Clean Energy Opportunities in India By Damon Evans

New Delhi: India is set for the largest increase in energy demand of any country over the next 20 years. This underscores the potential for policies and investment to accelerate the clean energy transition, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a new report. The additional funding for clean energy technologies needed to put India on a sustainable path over the next 20 years is $1.4 trillion, or 70% higher than in a scenario based on its current policy settings. However, the benefits are huge, including savings of the same magnitude on oil import bills, according to the Indian Energy Outlook 2021, released today. India faces a range of evolving energy security challenges. “Based on today’s policy settings, India’s combined import bill for fossil fuels is projected to triple over the next two decades, with oil by far the largest component. Domestic production of oil and gas continues to fall behind consumption trends and net dependence on imported oil rises above 90% by 2040, up from 75% today. This continued reliance on imported fuels creates vulnerabilities to price cycles and volatility, as well as possible disruptions to supply,” warned the IEA. The report examines the oppor-

tunities and challenges faced by the planet’s third-largest energy consuming country as it seeks to recover from the Covid-19 crisis. Significantly, the combination of an expanding and industrialising economy, coupled with a growing and increasingly urban population will drive energy use higher, raising the question of how best to meet that swelling demand without exacerbating issues like costly energy imports, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, said the IEA. “India has made remarkable

progress in recent years, bringing electricity connections to hundreds of millions of people and impressively scaling up the use of renewable energy, particularly solar,” said Fatih Birol, the IEA executive director. “What our new report makes clear is the tremendous opportunity for India to successfully meet the aspirations of its citizens without following the high carbon pathway that other economies have pursued in the past. The energy policy successes of the Indian government to date make me very optimistic

about its ability to meet the challenges ahead in terms of energy security and sustainability,” said Birol. The report said that the rapid expansion of solar power combined with smart policymaking is transforming India’s electricity sector, enabling it to provide clean, affordable and reliable power to a growing number of households and businesses. But as is the case in economies around the world, the transport and industrial sectors – areas like road freight, steel and cement – will prove far more chal-

Indo-American News • Friday february 12, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

lenging to develop in a sustainable manner, cautioned the IEA. “More than that of any other major economy, India’s energy future depends on buildings and factories that are yet to be built, and vehicles and appliances that are yet to be bought. Based on India’s current policy settings, nearly 60% of its CO2 emissions in the late 2030s will be coming from infrastructure and machines that do not exist today. This represents a huge opening for policies to steer India onto a more secure and sustainable course,” said the IEA. “If India goes down this path, it would need to address the critical challenge of the industrial sector through efforts like more widespread electrification of processes, greater material and energy efficiency, the use of technologies like carbon capture, and a switch to progressively lower-carbon fuels. Electrification, efficiency and fuel switching are also the main tools for the transport sector, alongside a determined move to build more sustainable infrastructure and shift more freight onto India’s soon-tobe-electrified railways,” added the Paris-based agency. “These transformations – on a scale no country has achieved in history – require huge advances in innovation, strong partnerships and vast amounts of capital,” said the IEA. -- Energy Voice

February 12, 2021

Sri Kulkarni Joins AmeriCorps Federal Agency to AmeriCorps, includWashington DC: ing 14 years as a foreign AmeriCorps, the federal service officer with the agency for volunteering State Department where and service, announced he specialized in public the appointments of diplomacy and worked three leading experts to in public affairs and inkey positions – Sonali ternational information Nijhawan, director of programs, completing AmeriCorps State and tours in Taiwan, Russia, National; Dan Kohl, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, and director of government Washington, D.C. He also relations; and Sri Presspent time as a Pearson ton Kulkarni, chief of fellow with the U.S. Senexternal affairs. Sri Preston Kulkarni during his 2020 Congressional ate, advising on foreign Joining the seven campaign. policy, defense, and veterleaders announced last month, these appointees reflect cal and civic engagement will be ans affairs matters. Kulkarni furthered this experithe Biden administration’s com- an asset to AmeriCorps. Kohl is a mitment to diverse leadership. In founder for a leading progressive ence as a candidate for Congress their roles, these leaders will use political advocacy organization, in 2018 and 2020, running the first service to support the administra- J Street, where he served as vice U.S. campaign in 27 languages tion’s agenda, focusing on four of president of political affairs. He and the largest relational organizthe most urgent challenges of our previously served as the SEED ing program for a U.S. Congrestime: COVID-19, economic re- Foundation’s Wisconsin direc- sional race. He earned a bachelor’s covery, racial equity, and climate tor for new school development in linguistics from the University and as a senior advisor for Baker of Texas and a master’s in public change. The appointments come as the Hostetler’s government practice administration from Harvard Kennedy School. He speaks English, agency is poised for extraordinary group. Kulkarni brings a variety of expe- Spanish, Russian, Hindi, Hebrew, progress, with calls for investment in national service programming rience in service and public affairs and Mandarin Chinese. at every level, amid growing recognition that service is an effective strategy to help address challenges ranging from climate change to COVID-19 recovery. Sonali Nijhawan has commitSeeking a qualified person with proven skills in ted her career to developing lead• Book keeping ers and growing national service. • Principles of Accounts Payable/Receivable Most recently, she developed and • Hands on experience with served as the executive director of Stockton Service Corps, a six-year, Spreadsheets & MS Offfice (Excel and Word) $12 million initiative to address • Good Typing Skills local needs through AmeriCorps. she earned a bachelor’s in educaWe offer excellent benefits & competitive salary tion and psychology from MarSend resume in confidence to: quette University and a master’s in Indoamericannews@yahoo.com social work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Your resume will be forwarded to the employer Kohl’s’s long record of politi-

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COMMENTARY

February 12, 2021

Under Guise of Protecting Workers, California Defines (and Demonizes) Hinduism By Kavita Pallod Sekhsaria (RNS): In a discrimination case involving a Cisco Systems employee, the state of California has taken the bold and alarming step of defining Hinduism while simultaneously demonizing it. In a case that has bounced from federal court to local court, California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing’s lawsuit has alleged that Cisco and two of its employees discriminated against a computer engineer who worked on their team in their Silicon Valley office, denying him a raise and a promotion because he was a Dalit, one of the lowest castes in Indian social hierarchy. The two supervisors are presumably from higher castes, according to the state’s complaint. So far, so good. Nobody wants to see discrimination in the workplace in any form. But on closer inspection, the state’s filing reveals an unconstitutional, untenable and Hinduphobic definition of caste. California’s rhetoric goes far beyond justice to target the Hindu community on the basis of religion. The state asserts that Hinduism is inherently hierarchical and discriminatory: “As a strict Hindu social and religious hierarchy, India’s caste system defines a person’s status based on their religion, ancestry, national origin/eth-

nicity, and race/ color — or the caste into which they are born — and will remain until death.” This approach is unconstitutional. The First Amendment prohibits the state from using its power to define religious doctrine. It is also wrong. Across the diversity of Hinduism, the idea of the equal presence of the divine in all beings is fundamental to living the faith. Our shared divinity brings about a responsibility to treat others with respect, compassion and dignity. An unchanging, oppressive and hereditary hierarchy that’s enforced by religious mandate doesn’t fit with any genuine understanding of Hinduism. India’s caste system is not a Hindu idea, any more than slavery or white supremacy is inherent to Christianity, or terrorism is to Islam, to use popular stereotypes. While caste as a means of social division is quite old, the system as we know it today is more the product of colonialist conceptions, shaped by British and European notions of racial and religious su-

periority. Should California prevail in this case, its grossly inaccurate characterization of the place of caste in the Hindu faith could be used to paint every Hindu of Indian descent in this country as bigoted by definition. The Cisco case is not the first time California has painted Hindus as implicitly discriminatory. For decades, California’s school textbooks have defined Hinduism this way. In spite of our religion’s teachings, our most important sacred texts and the beliefs of an overwhelming number of Hindus, we have suffered the consequences of unintended ill will and harmful stereotypes. Not only is California’s embrace of stereotypes rooted in racism and

colonialism misplaced, it is also unnecessary. The state could rely on existing law to prosecute caste discrimination. By developing legal precedent aimed directly at the foreign concept of caste, California would force companies to work out criteria to ascertain the caste of each employee of Indian descent, and monitor and manage alleged discrimination along these lines. Since caste is an administrative designation in India, not a religious one, companies would in effect have to apply Indian law on caste, which is incredibly complex and fluid, not to mention the differing designations of India’s individual states, on people living and working in the U.S. Or worse, they could avail themselves of the offered help of some scholar-activists, who themselves have a documented history of bigoted Hinduphobic statements, to assign Hindus a caste status based on analysis of a list of last names alone. The state’s definition would also make Hindus of non-Indian descent and non-Hindus, for whom

subcontinental social markers have zero relevance, hyperaware of caste. What’s next, making Hindus wear something that clearly identifies them in public — maybe a saffron armband? The Cisco case is hardly the first time allegations of discrimination in the workplace have surfaced and is unlikely to be the last. Demanding that companies ensure work environments that promote diversity and mutual respect is vital to our capitalist democracy; whether the differences are real or perceived, disrespect, discrimination and mistreatment of subordinates from positions of power are wrong. The state’s role in pushing for more inclusive and just workplaces is key in this effort. But by defining caste entirely as a Hindu religious principle, California has put itself in a position only to target Hindus without even clarifying how it will be able to prosecute actual discrimination. This gross overstep will go even further in targeting us for abuse, without coming near the purported goal of pushing employers to be more fair and just. Kavita Pallod Sekhsaria is a clinical psychologist and national leadership team member for the Hindu American Foundation. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.

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CRICKET

February 12, 2021

Kohli: Don’t Jump the Gun on India or Rahane By Varun Shetty Chennai: While acknowledging England’s dominance during the game, Virat Kohli asserted after the first Test that there will be no impulsive reactions from his team after a big defeat to start off the series. Kohli pointed that out on several fronts - in response to whether England were better prepared than the home team, whether India’s line-up needs any changing, and most pointedly at the suggestion that Ajinkya Rahane’s performances haven’t been up to standard. In 14 innings since India’s Australia tour began - including two warm-up matches before the Tests - Rahane has made two centuries, one of them a Player-of-theMatch effort in Melbourne that helped India bounce back from the lows of being bowled out for 36 in Adelaide. In the other other 12 innings during that phase, Rahane’s highest score is 42, and he aggregated only a run during India’s loss to England. But India’s vice-captain remains, Kohli said, one of their most important batsmen. “Look if you’re trying to dig something out, you’re not going to get anything because there’s nothing,” a visibly annoyed Kohli said in response to a question about Rahane’s performance during the post-match press conference. “I’ve said this many times

in the past as well along with Pujara, he [Rahane] is our most important Test batsman and he is going to continue to be. We believe in his abilities, we have believed in his abilities for a long time now and he’s an impact player. “If you’re talking about the MCG Test, he stood up and scored a hundred when the team wanted it the most. So you can look at a number of innings and what happens from thereon, but the reality of the situation is they’ve won the series in Australia. Here there’s just one Test, two innings and both... today, yeah you can put that innings aside. But in the first innings, he wanted to score a boundary. It was a brilliant catch by Joe [Root] that got rid of him. So if that goes for a boundary, he gets runs in the first innings and we’re not having this conversation. There’s absolutely no issues, everyone’s playing really well and we just need to be focused a lot more, understand that Test victories are earned in any conditions - whether they’re your own or you’re playing away. Nothing is a given in Test cricket and we need to be aware of that reality and work together as a team to keep putting a lot of pressure on the opposition. That’s our focus.” -- ESPN Cricinfo

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COMMUNITY

February 12, 2021

Masi and Vadivel: The Indian Tribesmen Catching Giant Snakes in Florida By Soutik Biswas Florida Everglades: Every morning, two Indian tribesmen in T-shirts and long trousers, leave their dwellings in southern Florida and head into the Everglades to hunt for some of the world’s biggest snakes. Masi Sadaiyan and Vadivel Gopal, members of the once-nomadic Irula tribe, are armed with crowbars and machetes. Wearing fleece jackets and baseball caps, they slash and wade their way through the largest subtropical wilderness in the world to hunt down Burmese pythons. The non-native snakes - which escaped into the wild in Florida or were released as pets - pose the biggest threat to the small mammal population of the national park. They also eat birds, alligators and deer. In 2005, a Burmese python tried to swallow an alligator and exploded in the park, leaving both the predators dead. Ever since the pythons were spotted in the wild more than two decades ago, authorities have tried everything to catch the elusive snakes in the marshes, but with limited success. They have used pythons (called Judas snakes) to find other pythons during the mating season, asked people to turn in their pet snakes, poisoned prey, and even encouraged people to hunt them

Masi Sadaiyan and Vadivel Gopal (holding the python) have caught 27 pythons in Florida so far. Photo credit: Jeremy Dixon, USFWS

for a cash prize . Last year, some 1,000 hunters participated in a competitive month-long Burmese python hunt to rid the wetland of the invasive species, and caught 106 snakes. By comparison, in the past four weeks, the two 50-something tribesmen from India have caught 27 pythons, including a 16ft-long (5m) female in an abandoned missile base in Key Largo. Pythons that are caught are later put down. Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) have several common names, including Asiatic rock python and black-tailed python. They are native to India, lower China, the Malay Peninsula and some islands of South and South-

east Asia. The snakes - which usually reach up to 3m (about 12 feet) in length, but can be more than 5m long - have secured a foothold in the southeast US, after pet snakes were released, or escaped, into the wild. They are now considered a threat to biodiversity in the Florida Everglades “Masi and Vadivel are doing an incredible job. They excel at determining if pythons are present at a site, locating them if they are, and then catching them when located,” Frank Mazzotti, a biologist at the University of Florida who heads a team of researchers investigating pythons, told me. “They can see pythons even

when they are covered by grass. All they need is a glint of snake and they pounce. The rest of us are usually wondering where the snake is. Next thing we see they are holding it.” The Miami Herald marvelled at the snake-hunting skills of the Irulas, whom herpetologist Rom Whitaker describes as the “best snake catchers” in the world. The newspaper reported that the Irulas appeared to have “mysterious” tracking techniques. “They move slowly and rather than focus on roads and levees where snakes have typically been found basking, they head straight for thick brush. The Irulas believe the boulders and high grasses that line the levees are more lucrative hunting grounds. “And when the going gets slow, everyone must stop to squat for a quick song of prayer - usually an ancient invocation mixed with an ad lib about pythons or the weather - accompanied by a beedi cigarette.” Writer and film-maker Janaki Lenin, who is accompanying the tribesmen, has provided a gripping account of the female python they recovered in Key Largo. The two men cut the roots that blocked the entrance to the bunker, pried open a door, went inside, poked the snake, broke through a concrete shaft and hauled out the 75kg (165lb) reptile.

Another time, a eight-foot-long python, according to Ms Lenin, “struggled and emptied its bowels” on Masi, who held the tail. “After the Irula bagged the python, the grinning but impressed Americans held their noses with their fingers, miming how stinky the snake faeces were,” she recounted. Masi said he was not bothered. “Only if you are covered in it, can you catch snakes.” For the past month, the two men, who have travelled around the world to catch snakes, have been living in the home of Joe Wasilewski, a well-known herpetologist. Their two months of work is funded by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. After an oatmeal breakfast, they are driven to work. Sometimes they go out after dark. In the early days, they survived on Trinidadian Indian food, but since then they have tried hotdogs and burgers and watched an NFL game. -- BBC “All that they say so far is that they like being in America and want to catch lots of pythons,” Ms Lenin said. Masi and Vadivel, members of an ancient tribe, have become unlikely globe-trotting snake-catchers. Last July, they went to Thailand to help researchers implant radio transmitters for their study, and ended up catching two king cobras. -- BBC

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February 12, 2021

‘Madam Chief Minister’: Strictly Passable

By Shubhra Gupta

Cast: Richa Chadha, Manav Kaul, Akshay Oberoi, Saurabh Shukla Director: Subhash Kapoor Rating: 2 stars Can your film portray a chief minister of UP, who is Dalit, female, short-haired, spunky, ambitious, and claim that the character does not resemble Mayawati? The lead player in Subhash Kapoor’s ‘Madam Chief Minister’ is all of the above. Do we believe it, or faint? Tara Roop Ram (Chadha) is the only girl of her family who has managed to come out alive of that inhuman ‘sadiyon-puraana’ (ancient) tradition that kills baby girls as soon they are born. She’s not only the wrong gender, but also the wrong caste, as she discovers soon enough when a college romance goes wrong. Her patently upper caste lover laughs at her when she talks of marriage: ‘rakh lenge’ (will ‘keep you’) he says, and is astounded when she feels disparaged. His kind of people have always behaved thus with her kind of people, so what is she going on about? The formation of a strong, populist leader is the most engaging part of the film. Tara learns the importance of ‘grassroots engage-

ment’ from her mentor, Masterji ( Shukla), who leads an army of cycle-borne activists from village to village, amassing a great deal of local support. Masterji’s old-school views that ‘netas’ need to work for the people without getting swept away by their position, buoy Tara’s own street-smart ways, which blows away savvy rivals, both old warhorses, and power-hungry young turks (Oberoi). UP, where ‘people win elections not on the basis of metros but mandirs’ has its first madam chief minister, any similarities with any person, living or dead, being purely imaginary. Asking us to swallow that there’s no connection between that erstwhile real-life CM, and this one, is a stretch. But that’s not the real problem. By turning the rest of the film into a shallow political thriller, and side-stepping the issue of caste, the chance to say something

significant about this biggest elephant in the room, is squandered. What we are left with is all-too familiar elements : how many times have we heard of political satraps stuffing rival leaders into resorts, luring cops with sops, and so on? A thread involving her faithful assistant Danish Khan (Kaul) could have been radical, but gets drowned in melodrama. This film had potential. It could have redressed a shameful lack. There have been so few fullfledged films on Dalit characters, where the Dalit plays the lead in a clear, unambiguous manner. Done better, it could have been a strong mainstream statement against caste-gender-class discrimination. That poor ‘jhaadu’, which got such bad press when the film’s publicity rolled out a few weeks back, comes on for a flash, never to be seen again: all those militating against propagating stereotypes can rest easy. Chadha is in every frame, and shares some winsome moments with Shukla, but sadly, Madam Chief Minister ends up being strictly passable. -- Indian Express

ENTERTAINMENT ‘Big Day’: A Look at Indian Weddings

By Sana Farzeen After giving an insight into the ‘arranged marriage’ set up with Indian Matchmaking, Netflix is all set to celebrate the big fat Indian wedding with The Big Day. The series will take a deep dive into the multibillion-dollar wedding industry, and gives the audience a chance to be a part of the most unique and lavish modern weddings. The trailer of the first season of The Big Day was released on Monday. The video is nothing short of a live Pinterest board on dream weddings for millennials. From lavish settings, designer clothes to some exciting themes, the series showcases it all. The show will also have couples talk about crafting their happily ever after. The makers have chosen six dif-

ferent stories, and each of these couples do not believe in toeing the line. From planning a truly sustainable wedding, which is the need of the hour, to a bride that does not believe in following traditions blindly, the stories would definitely touch a chord. Celebrity makeup artist Daniel Baeur, who got married to partner Tyrone Braganza in 2019, also features in this special wedding series. Produced by Conde Nast India, The Big Day will have couples navigating their way through an eye-opening list of shenanigans and soul-stirring moments that go into creating spectacular Indian weddings. There would also be a dash of family drama, unique personal struggles, triumphs and much more. The Big Day will start streaming on Netflix from February 14.

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February 12, 2021

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February 12, 2021

Form of the Reform With farmers camping out in the open on Delhi’s borders for over two months, their agitation interrupted but not broken by the eruption of violence on January 26, after 11 rounds of formal talks between farm union leaders and the Centre, Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally spoke on the farm issue in Parliament. It was a much-awaited moment and the PM sent out an unequivocal message — there is no going back on the farm laws. And that these laws offer the way forward for modernizing agriculture and making it more remunerative. The case for reforms is solid: Breaking the monopoly of state-regulated mandis in agriculture produce marketing, doing away with stocking restrictions and allowing processors and organised retailers to enter into contract cultivation agreements with farmers are steps in the right direction. But both by what he said and what he didn’t say, the PM’s speech also framed an unmet challenge — of reaching out to the intended beneficiaries of the laws who are not convinced. Yes, the PM laid out the government’s commitment to the reform it has pushed through Parliament but his was not an intervention that sought to reach across the barricades — and the nails — to talk to the men and women who continue to sit on the other side. The PM made the government’s case by invoking the need to place the small farmer at the centre of policy. He spoke of the imperative to address a dire predicament, the outcome of increasing pressure on land and the fragmentation of holdings. He accused leaders and parties of the Opposition of doing a “U-turn” on the issue of agriculture reform, of saying one thing when they were in power and another when they aren’t. He recalled the days following the Green Revolution, when the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri had to confront doubters and agitators and labels and accusations of being an “American agent”. There is truth in what the PM said — India’s agriculture, despite its achievements and successes and also because of them, is at an inflexion point and attempts to bring about large change must inevitably run into resistance to large change. But what is also true is this: The work of communicating the reform to the farmers, or to a significant section among them, remains to be done. And in a democracy — especially one which, as the PM said, is not a western import but is the “mother of democracy” — the government must not shirk that effort. Nor must it patronise or demonise the protester. Even as he painted a picture of himself as a leader besieged by labels, the PM’s response in kind to those who dissent and oppose his government’s laws — they were “aandolanjeevi (professional agitators)” and “parjeevi (parasites)” — did not behove his office. When the need is to build bridges, his taunt — the nation must protect itself from the new FDI, he said, of Foreign Destructive Ideology — is counter-productive. The PM has laid out the need for reform. Now he must also find the vocabulary to communicate it to those who oppose it. Respecting their right to do so, rather than mocking them, could be a good start. -- Indian Express

Moving Byond Paris

OPINION

India Steps Up its Climate Ambitions 2024 to all households in rural India, has a strong sustainability focus. We focus on the human More trees are being and development impacts planted and degraded of climate change land is being reclaimed *Any views expressed to create a carbon “sink” in this opinion piece are that can absorb 2.5-3 bilthose of the author and lion tonnes of CO2. not of Thomson Reuters We are also working Foundation. rapidly to create a green The country aims to transport network, to offbe ‘a leader in thought set a sector known for and action on climate’, its polluting emissions its foreign secretary says Harsh V. Shringla is In- Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking at the Paris particularly in our big cities. dia’s Foreign Secretary. Change Summit in 2015. Photo credit: India.com India is building nextFive years after the the fourth largest in the world and Paris Agreement, India is among the capacity expansion being un- generation infrastructure such as the few developing countries that dertaken is also one of the largest mass transit systems, green highare not only meeting their “green” in the world. The bulk of this will ways and waterways. A national targets but are aspiring to more come from the cleanest energy electric mobility plan is creating an e-mobility ecosystem with the aim ambitious climate goals. source, the sun. At the recent Climate Ambition We are seeing progress already. to have over 30% of all vehicles on Summit, Prime Minister Narendra We initially committed to 175 India’s roads to be electric. These initiatives are for our own Modi articulated the Indian ap- GW of renewable energy capacproach. He said that we must set ity by 2022. We have gone further good as India is among the counour sights “even higher”, even as and expect to cross 220 GW in the tries most vulnerable to the impact we do not lose sight of the past. He next two years. We have an even of climate change. We recognise there is still a long added that India would not only more ambitious target of 450 GW way to go but these efforts are alachieve its Paris Agreement tar- by 2030. gets, but would exceed them. We are working to ensure that ready paying dividends. India’s At the U.N. Climate Action 40% of electric power in India is emission intensity has reduced by Summit in 2019, Modi said that from non-fossil fuel sources by 21% over the period 2005-2014. an ounce of practice is worth more 2030. This clean energy push goes Over the next decade, we are exthan a ton of preaching. We are hand-in-hand with a parallel effort pecting even greater reductions. India intends to be a responsible taking practical steps across all to reduce the emissions intensity areas, including energy, industry, of our economy by 33-35% (from global citizen in the climate space. We are not only going beyond our transport, agriculture and protec- 2005 levels) by 2030. tion of green spaces, in our wholeThe Ujala scheme – a national Paris Agreement commitments. of-society journey to become a drive to use LED lamps – is reduc- We are adopting innovative instruleader in climate action and cli- ing CO2 emissions by 38.5 mil- ments to further international comate ambition. lion tonnes every year. The Ujj- operation in climate action. We have created international India recognizes that climate wala scheme, under which over change cannot be fought in silos. It 80 million households have been organisations like the International requires an integrated, comprehen- provided access to clean cooking Solar Alliance and the Coalition sive and holistic approach. It re- gas, is one of of the largest clean for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure that are working on creating quires innovation and adoption of energy initiatives in the world. new and sustainable technologies. Climate action and sustainability global low-carbon pathways. More Conscious of these imperatives, is being brought into government than 80 countries have joined the India has mainstreamed climate schemes across multiple sectors. International Solar Alliance, makin its national developmental and Our Smart Cities Mission is working it one of the fastest-growing industrial strategies. ing with 100 cities to help them international bodies. This combination of national acEnergy is at the center of all cli- become more sustainable and mate strategies. We believe India adaptable to the challenges of cli- tion and responsible international has become a clean energy pow- mate change. The National Clean citizenship makes India unique erhouse and is a leader in energy Air Programme aims to reduce air amongst developing countries and transition from carbon dioxide- pollution (PM2.5 and PM10) by is placing it on the path to realise its ambitions to be a leader in producing sources to renewables 20-30% in the next four years. and non-fossil-fuel sources. The Jal Jeevan Mission, which thought and action on climate. Harsh Vardhan Shringla is ForWe intend to keep harnessing In- aims to provide safe and adequate dia’s renewable energy potential. drinking water through individual eign Secretary of India. Views exOur renewable energy capacity is household tap connections by pressed are personal. By Harsh V. Shringla

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February 12, 2021

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Sabat Moong te Palak di Daal

(SPINACH & WHOLE MOONG LENTILS) Daals are the mainstay of the Indian diet, whether you are in the north or south, east or west - providing much needed protein, especially for the multitude of vegetarians in the country - and each region has its own way of making them. So central are they to Indian life, there is even a phrase to express daily life: “daalroti toh khani hai” (we have to eat our daily bread). But nowhere will you find the heartiness and flavorful taste of daals as you would in the Punjab. Punjabi daals are known for their smooth, thick texture and the perfect blend of spices. They are not supposed to be runny or thin and the hot tardka or blending in of spices, onions, garlic and sometimes hing (asafoetida) is a sizzling experience that fills the air with the aroma of the dish. To this day, in the majority of rural communities and in many traditional recipes, daal is cooked in a large patila (pot) simmered over a slow to medium flame. Daal should be cooked so that you can spot the grain and have a little turri (curry). Too thick or too thin a daal and you can’t scoop it with roti (flat bread). The dish is made with leafy, dark green spinach, which is rich in vitamins A, B2, B6, C, E, K, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium and potassium. It’s a very good source of protein, phosphorus, zinc, dietary fiber, and copper as well as selenium, niacin, and omega-3 fatty acids. Spinach and methi (fenugreek) are sometimes added selectively to some daals to enhance their flavor and appeal. Sabat (whole) moong daal is leaf green in color and the dark spinach and soya leaves give the dish a nice dual look and added flavor. This dish cooks fairly fast and goes especially well with hot rotis. Ingredients: • 1 cup sabat moong daal (whole moong lentils) • 500 gm palak (spinach) • 2 cups pani (water) • 2 tbsp olive oil • 4 cloves of lasan (garlic) – peeled and chopped • 1 medium adrak (ginger) – peeled and chopped • 2 hari mirch (green chillies) – medium and chopped • 1/2 cup soya patta (soya leaves) (optional)

• 5 stalktops fresh dhania (coriander) – pinch off the leaves and cut into pieces • 1 tsp garam masala • Spices (to taste): lal mirch (red pepper); namak (salt); haldi (turmeric) Directions:

1. Carefully wash the spinach leaves thoroughly to remove any dirt, drip to dry then cut the leaves into half inch pieces. 2. Place the moong daal in a bowl and wash it thoroughly in cold water, then rinse it out. 3. Bring the 2 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Pour in the moong daal into the pot, cover, and add the cut spinach, soya patta, haldi, ginger, green chilies and salt and let it come to a second boil then reduce the heat to medium. 4. If the water boils off before the daal becomes tender, then add some more and let it continue to boil for about 30 minutes till the daal is tender but not soft. Keep a frequent eye on the daal to make sure it does not become soupy.

5. Heat the oil in a small karai or wok and add the garlic and brown it a little. When roasted and the smell of the pieces starts to come through, take off the heat and drop the masala into the pot of cooked daal and stir to mix well. 6. Sprinkle the top of the daal with garam masala and the cut coriander leaves above. Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India (since renamed Faisalabad) before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her early-nineties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share her delectable Punjabi recipes for future generations.

MAMA’S TIP O F THE

WEEK IF ON A LOW SUG AR DIET, USE HONEY INST EAD

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