Content:
1. Indians Need the Right to Disconnect
2. Interconnection of Food and Energy Security
Indians Need the Right to Disconnect
Context : An EY employee’s death, allegedly due to work pressure, led MP Shashi Tharoor to propose legislation addressing workplace inhumanity.
Relevance: GS 2(Social Issues)
Practice question: Evaluate importance of right to disconnect after working hours to maintain a healthy work life balance . Suggest key measures to enhance wellbeing of employees.(250 Words)
Work Hours: Indian women in professional jobs (e.g., IT, auditing, media) work over 55 hours a week, negatively impacting mental health.
Stress: 49% of Indian workers report workplace stress affecting their mental health (ADP Research Institute).
Right to Disconnect Laws
- France: 2001 ruling states employees are not obligated to work from home or answer calls after hours.
- Portugal: Law prohibits employer contact outside working hours, except in emergencies.
- Spain: Article 88 of Organic Law 3/2018 ensures the right to disconnect outside working hours to maintain work-life balance.
- Australia: Fair Work Legislation Amendment grants employees the right to disconnect from work outside working hours.
- Ireland: Recognized the right to disconnect to promote work-life balance.
India’s Position
- No Specific Legislation: India has no law guaranteeing the right to disconnect.
Constitutional and Judicial Support:
- Article 38: Mandates the state to promote people’s welfare.
- Article 39(e): Directs the state to safeguard the health of workers.
- Vishakha v State of Rajasthan (1997): Recognized the right to dignity at work.
- Ravindra Kumar Dhariwal and Ors v. Union of India (2021): Stressed inclusive equality for employees with disabilities.
- Praveen Pradhan v. State of Uttaranchal (2012): Prevented inhumane treatment under administrative control.
- Legislative Efforts: In 2018, MP Supriya Sule introduced a Private Member Bill proposing penalties for violating the right to disconnect, but no progress was made.
Prolonged Working Hours
- Health Impacts: Prolonged hours cause stress, coronary heart diseases, and negative overall health effects.
- Research Findings: Studies (e.g., University of Oxford) highlight a strong link between happiness and productivity, countering the belief that overworking enhances efficiency.
Interconnection of Food and Energy Security
Intro: Food and energy security are intertwined crises shaping global stability.
Relevance : GS 3 (Environment)
Practice Question: Explain interconnectedness of Food security and energy security ? What is the practical approach to balance both without hampering other . (250 Words )
- Climate change, population growth, and inequality strain food production, while energy systems face geopolitical tensions and slow transitions from fossil fuels.
- Agriculture is both an energy consumer and a contributor to climate change.
Dependency on Carbon-Intensive Energy
- Agriculture consumes 70% of freshwater and emits over 20% of greenhouse gases.
- Reliance on fossil fuels (mechanization, fertilizers, transportation) leads to environmental degradation.
- Energy price shocks impact food systems, threatening global stability.
- Rising temperatures and erratic weather disrupt agriculture, risking 2.5 billion livelihoods.
- Severe food insecurity affected 11.8% of the global population (2020-2023), projected to rise to 956 million by 2028.
Global Energy Landscape
- Renewable energy investments reached approximately $550 billion in 2023, but fossil fuel use persists.
- Nations prioritize energy security over climate goals, exacerbating food systems’ vulnerability.
- Energy poverty highlights global inequities, with low-income countries disproportionately affected.
- Energy deficits hinder rural agricultural productivity, increasing food prices and poverty.
Fossil Fuels and Agriculture
- Fertilizer production depends heavily on natural gas, making it vulnerable to price volatility.
- Approximately 33,500 cubic feet of natural gas is required to produce one ton of anhydrous ammonia (Source: MDPI – Price and Volatility Transmissions among Natural Gas, Fertilizer, and Agriculture).
- Geopolitical actions like China’s phosphate export ban disrupt global agricultural supply chains.
- India’s reliance on fertilizer imports exposes vulnerabilities during critical cropping seasons.
Renewable Energy and Agriculture
- Renewable solutions like solar irrigation and biomass energy can transform agriculture but face cost and infrastructure challenges.
- High-income countries dominate renewable energy installations, leaving low-income nations dependent on carbon-intensive systems.
Competing Demands on Agriculture
- Addressing food and energy insecurity requires $90 billion annually until 2030, with additional costs for malnutrition and food system transformation.
Consequences of Inaction
- Food insecurity could cost trillions in lost productivity and health outcomes.
- The global economic cost of food insecurity, including lost productivity and health care costs, is estimated to be around $3.5 trillion annually (Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Report, 2023).
- Climate-induced energy disruptions may destabilize regions, leading to social unrest and migration.
- Resource extraction in Africa for renewables often perpetuates poverty without local benefits.
Reimagining Agriculture
- Agriculture must be viewed as essential for both sustenance and sustainable development.
- Failure to address food and energy insecurity risks worsening hunger and derailing climate goals.
- Immediate, inclusive actions are needed to secure a resilient future.
