Hindi English Translation || Editorial || A distinct right: On climate change and species protection

A distinct right: On climate change and species protection

The right to be free of climate change effects comes amid (के बीच) a conservation (संरक्षण) dilemma (दुविधा)

In recognising the right to be free of the adverse effects of climate change (जलवायु परिवर्तन) as a distinct (विशिष्ट) fundamental right, the Supreme Court of India has advanced (push forward, press on, push on, further, facilitate, foster) the case for a healthy environment and sustainable (reasonable, sensible, well-founded (without disturbing the balance of nature and then without exhausting all of the natural resources)) development. The apex court had long ago recognised (पहचानना, स्वीकार करना) the right to live in a clean environment as part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. However, the Court has now reasoned that the right to be protected from climate change and the right to a wholesome (good, beneficial, healthy, natural, organic, sustaining (for health and well being)) environment are two sides of the same coin; (two things are very closely related to each other, in spite of that they look like different) and given (considering, taking into account, bearing in mind) the increasing threat from climate change year after year, the time has come to treat the former as a distinct right. It has explained how the vagaries (peculiarity, oddity, eccentricity, fluctuation, unpredictability) of climate change have an adverse (dangerous, harmful, detrimental, unhealthy; unfavourable, disadvantageous, bad) impact on life through factors ranging from rising temperatures, storms (तूफान) and droughts (सुखा) to food shortages due to crop (a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence) failure and shifts in vector-borne diseases (Vector-borne diseases are illnesses that are transmitted by vectors, which include mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. These vectors can carry infective pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and etc., which can be transferred from one host (carrier) to another. Important vector-borne disease for India, include malaria, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, kala-azar, lymphatic filariasis and chikungunya). If environmental degradation (breakdown, decay, deterioration, degeneration, decline) and climate change lead to (cause, result in, bring about, give rise to, produce) acute (severe, serious, critical, drastic) shortage of food and water, the right to equality (समानता का अधिकार) will also be violated (उल्लंघन करना), as the poorer, under-served (relating to the areas/regions where facility/service is insufficiently provided) communities will not be able to cope with the adversity (a difficult situation; hardship, difficulty). The Court’s emphasis (ज़ोर) on climate change came in a case that pitted the concern over multiple deaths of the Great Indian Bustard (large bird of the bustard (a large, heavily built, swift-running bird) family; one of the heaviest flying birds in the world. The great Indian bustard inhabits dry grasslands and scrublands on the Indian subcontinent) due to solar power transmission lines against India’s international obligation (दायित्व) to meet its emission (Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; Carbon dioxide is also a greenhouse gas produced as a byproduct of human activities. Burning fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—is the number one source of global CO2 emissions) reduction and increase its energy capacity through non-fossil fuel sources.

The context (प्रसंग, सन्दर्भ) is a conundrum (problem, difficulty, quandary/dilemma) peculiar (distinctive, characteristic, distinct, typical; unusual, strange, weird, unfamiliar, abnormal) to some parts of the country. The Bench (a court of law with a number of judges) was faced with a plea (petition, application, urgent/earnest request (a court or other government body to take a specific action or make a particular decision)) by three Union Ministries — Environment, Power, and New and Renewable Energy — seeking (ask for, request, appeal for, solicit) modification of the Court’s April 2021 order that sought to protect the critically endangered (vulnerable , unsafe, unprotected, defenceless, helpless) Great Indian Bustard from being killed in collisions with power transmission lines put up (build, construct, erect, set up) by solar energy companies in Rajasthan and Gujarat. The earlier order had directed that all low-voltage power lines in both ‘priority’ (where the bird is known to live) and ‘potential’ (where conservation efforts are going on) areas be laid underground and existing overhead lines (a steel frame structure used in electric power transmission and distribution to transmit electrical energy along large distances. It erects the wire and keeps it away from the ground) converted to underground lines. It had also directed that high-voltage lines in identified areas be shifted below the ground. The modification was sought as conversion (change, modification, alteration) to underground lines was technically not possible and too expensive and the renewable energy sector was adversely (unfavourably, disadvantageously, badly) affected by the order, especially because the area had considerable (sizeable, substantial, significant, appreciable) solar and wind energy potential. The Court has now asked an expert committee (panel, council, commission, body, advisory group) to decide on the extent of underground and overground lines and recalled (cancel, revoke, repeal, take back, overrule, override) its earlier orders. It is unfortunate that the goal of reducing the country’s carbon footprint (the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2)) and the need to protect a critically endangered species (प्रजातियाँ) are at odds with each other. The sooner a solution is found the better.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.distinct (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विशिष्ट
English Meaning - clear, well defined, definite, obvious, apparent, striking, unequivocal.

2.climate change (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जलवायु परिवर्तन
English Meaning - a long-term change in the Earth’s climate, or of a region on Earth.

3.species (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रजातियाँ
English Meaning - It simply means plants & animals; a group of organisms that can reproduce with one another in nature and produce fertile offspring.

4.amid (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - के बीच
English Meaning - in the middle of, surrounded by; during.

5.conservation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संरक्षण
English Meaning - protection, safeguarding, maintenance, environmentalism.

6.dilemma (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दुविधा
English Meaning - difficulty, problem, trouble, quandary, predicament, conundrum; awkward/difficult situation.

7.recognise (verb)

Hindi Meaning - पहचानना, स्वीकार करना
English Meaning - acknowledge, accept, admit, realize, understand, be aware of.

8.storm (noun)

Hindi Meaning - तूफान
English Meaning - low-pressure weather system; cyclone.

9.drought (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सुखा
English Meaning - dry spell/period, lack of rain, shortage of water.

10.right to equality (noun)

Hindi Meaning - समानता का अधिकार
English Meaning - Article 14 to 18 of the constitution guarantee the right to equality to every citizen of Indian. Article 14 embodies the general principles of equality before law and prohibits unreasonable discrimination between persons. Article 14 embodies the idea of equality expressed in the preamble the succeeding Article 15, 16, 17 and 18 lay down specific application of the general rules laid down in Article 14. Article 15 relates to prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, sex or place of birth.

11.violate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - उल्लंघन करना
English Meaning - contravene, offend, break, breach, encroach on, trespass on, infringe on, obtrude on.

12.emphasis (noun)

Hindi Meaning - ज़ोर
English Meaning - importance, significance, priority.

13.obligation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दायित्व
English Meaning - dedication, adherence, commitment , responsibility, onus, liability, accountability.

14.context (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रसंग, सन्दर्भ
English Meaning - circumstance, condition, situation, scenario, background, backdrop.

15.Constitution Bench (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संविधान पीठ
English Meaning - a bench of the Supreme Court having five or more judges on it. These benches are not a routine phenomenon. Constitution Benches are exceptions, set up only if some circumstances exist).
 

16.adverse (adjective)

English Meaning - dangerous, harmful, detrimental, unhealthy; unfavourable, disadvantageous, bad.

17.Part III Rights/Fundamental Rights (noun)

English Meaning - The Fundamental Rights, embodied in Part III of the Constitution, guarantee civil rights to all Indians and prevent the State from encroaching an individual’s liberty while simultaneously placing upon it an obligation to protect the citizens’ rights from encroachment by society. Seven fundamental rights were originally provided by the Constitution - the right to equality, right to freedom, right against exploitation, right to freedom of religion, cultural and educational rights, right to property and right to constitutional remedies. However, the right to property was removed from Part III of the Constitution by the 44th Amendment in 1978.

18.advance (verb)

English Meaning - push forward, press on, push on, further, facilitate, foster.

19.sustainable (adjective)

English Meaning - reasonable, sensible, well-founded (without disturbing the balance of nature and then without exhausting all of the natural resources).

20.Article 21 of the constitution of India (noun)

English Meaning - Protection of life and personal liberty. No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law.

21.wholesome (adjective)

English Meaning - good, beneficial, healthy, natural, organic, sustaining (for health and well being).

22.two sides of the same coin (phrase)

English Meaning - two things are very closely related to each other, in spite of that they look like different.

23.given (preposition)

English Meaning - considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.

24.vagary (noun)

English Meaning - peculiarity, oddity, eccentricity, fluctuation, unpredictability.

25.crop (noun)

English Meaning - a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence.

26.vector-borne diseases (VBDs)(noun)

English Meaning - Vector-borne diseases are illnesses that are transmitted by vectors, which include mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. These vectors can carry infective pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and etc., which can be transferred from one host (carrier) to another. Important vector-borne disease for India, include malaria, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, kala-azar, lymphatic filariasis and chikungunya.

27.vector (noun)

English Meaning - living organism that can transmit infectious diseases between humans or from animals to humans. Many parasitic insects that feed on blood (such as ticks and mosquitos) are often active vectors

28.degradation (noun)

English Meaning - breakdown, decay, deterioration, degeneration, decline.

29.lead to (verb)

English Meaning - cause, result in, bring about, give rise to, produce.

30.acute (adjective)

English Meaning - severe, serious, critical, drastic.

31.under-served (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the areas/regions where facility/service is insufficiently provided.

32.adversity (noun)

English Meaning - a difficult situation; hardship, difficulty.

33.pit against (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to cause someone to fight or compete against another person.

34.Great Indian Bustard (noun)

English Meaning - large bird of the bustard (a large, heavily built, swift-running bird) family; one of the heaviest flying birds in the world. The great Indian bustard inhabits dry grasslands and scrublands on the Indian subcontinent.

35.meet (noun)

English Meaning - conform to, comply with, satisfy, fulfil.

36.(carbon) emissions (noun)

English Meaning - Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; Carbon dioxide is also a greenhouse gas produced as a byproduct of human activities. Burning fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—is the number one source of global CO2 emissions.

37.fossil fuel (noun)

English Meaning - non renewable resources (or fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are formed from the buried/deposited organic materials).

38.non-fossil fuel or renewable energy (noun)

English Meaning - green/clean energy; energy generated from natural resources (such as water, wind & solar energy).

39.conundrum (noun)

English Meaning - problem, difficulty, quandary/dilemma.

40.peculiar (adjective)

English Meaning - distinctive, characteristic, distinct, typical; unusual, strange, weird, unfamiliar, abnormal.

41.bench (noun)

English Meaning - a court of law with a number of judges.

42.Division Bench (noun)

English Meaning - a bench of two or three judges is called a division bench.

43.plea (noun)

English Meaning - petition, application, urgent/earnest request (a court or other government body to take a specific action or make a particular decision).

44.seek (verb)

English Meaning - ask for, request, appeal for, solicit.

45.sought past and past participle of seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, aim, attempt.

46.endangered (adjective)

English Meaning - vulnerable , unsafe, unprotected, defenceless, helpless.

47.put up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - build, construct, erect, set up.

48.laid past tense of lay (verb)

English Meaning - put, place.

49.overhead line (noun)

English Meaning - a steel frame structure used in electric power transmission and distribution to transmit electrical energy along large distances. It erects the wire and keeps it away from the ground.

50.conversion (noun)

English Meaning - change, modification, alteration.

51.adversely (adverb)

English Meaning - unfavourably, disadvantageously, badly.

52.considerable (adjective)

English Meaning - sizeable, substantial, significant, appreciable.

53.committee (noun)

English Meaning - panel, council, commission, body, advisory group.

54.recall (verb)

English Meaning - cancel, revoke, repeal, take back, overrule, override.

55.carbon footprint (noun)

English Meaning - the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

56.be at odds with (phrase)

English Meaning - contradict, conflict with, be at variance with, disagree with, be inconsistent with.

57.the sooner the better (phrase)

English Meaning - used to say that something (important) should be done as soon as possible; as early as possible.