April 24, 2022
Good morning. Every Sunday, we publish the results of polls from feature stories that were published the past week. We also give a brief overview of the topics that were discussed.
🗳️ POLL RESULTS – Week 70
🗓️ THE WEEK THAT WAS
Amending India’s Wildlife Protection Laws
Daily | 18 April 2022
India protects its wildlife with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, but it hasn’t really been updated in a major way since its inception. Sometime last year, the government thought it necessary to add some important amendments to it for a more comprehensive piece of legislation. The problem with that was the hastiness that went into the draft. We look into this here.
Academic Freedom – Is the Australia India Institute being shackled?
Daily | 19 April 2022
At the Australia India Institute (AII), thirteen Fellows affiliated with the institute resigned over concerns about a lack of academic freedom. They also stated allegations of interference in their work by the Indian High Commission in Australia. However, the institute has refuted the claims. Follow this debate here.
WHO’s Data on Covid Deaths: Mountain or Molehill?
Daily | 20 April 2022
After over a year of hitting the books, records and reports with the accuracy of a laser-cutter, the World Health Organisation (WHO) finally took a breather. Their work was done. The colossal task of tallying the global death toll of the Covid-19 pandemic had been tamed. And the number that came out was far higher than ever anticipated – or at least reported. So what does India think? We decode this here.
Is AAP’s new free power plan in Punjab good economics?
Daily | 21 April 2022
In the state of Punjab, the newly-elected Aam Aadmi Party has a plan. It announced 300 units of free electricity from July 1. It was one of the promises made by the party during the campaign for the Assembly polls last month. The party wants to capitalise on and replicate its Delhi governance model in Punjab. While the scheme will help lakhs of consumers lower their electricity bills, is it bad economics? Find both sides to the story here.
Ban on Loudspeakers – Necessary or Political Ploy?
Daily | 22 April 2022
For many, loudspeakers are a part of their daily routine and faith. For some, it’s an annoyance. Recently, there have been sustained calls for the ban on loudspeakers. Various states are contemplating issuing orders on a ban. Is this all about noise pollution, or is there something else at play? Read more here.
Rights of Unorganised Workers
Know Your Rights | 23 April 2022
To ensure some amount of social security for unorganised workers, the government came up with the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008. Applicable to all of India, the main aim of this Act is to grant welfare to the workers and protect them in the eyes of the law. It even defines the unorganised sector and tells us who qualifies as an unorganised worker. Read all about their rights here.