The Hindu Editorial Analysis : 13th August 2024

The Hindu Editorial Analysis

We understand the significance of reading The Hindu newspaper for enhancing reading skills, improving comprehension of passages, staying informed about current events, enhancing essay writing, and more, especially for banking aspirants who need to focus on editorials for vocabulary building. This article will delve into today’s editorial points along with practice questions and key vocabulary.

Crest gate of Tungabhadra reservoir washed away, prompting alert as outflow is expected to rise

• A crest gate of the Tungabhadra reservoir near Hospet in Vijayanagara district, Karnataka, was washed away late Saturday, sparking concerns about potential flooding downstream.
• The reservoir authorities promptly issued a warning, advising people not to enter the river downstream as the outflow could increase to 2 lakh cusecs at any moment.
• As the inflow into the reservoir reduced due to decreased rainfall in the catchment area, dam authorities on Saturday reduced the discharge to about 28,000 cusecs. This adjustment was made to maintain the full reservoir level (FRL) of 1,633 feet, with a total storage capacity of 105.788 TMCFT.
• After the chain link of crest gate 19 broke and the gate was swept away by the current around 10:50 p.m., the remaining 32 crest gates were opened to relieve the pressure on the damaged gate. The discharge gradually increased, reaching one lakh cubic feet per second by Sunday morning.
• Authorities issued prohibitory orders to prevent people from entering the reservoir and the riverbanks.
• Sources in the Irrigation Central Zone (Munirabad) of Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd. (KNNL) indicated that the discharge would need to be increased to 2 lakh cusecs for the next four days in order to lower the water level in the reservoir and commence repair work.
• Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, accompanied by Minor Irrigation Minister N.S. Boseraju, hurried to the reservoir.
• Shivakumar mentioned that the water storage in the reservoir must be reduced to approximately 60 TMCFT to proceed with repairs.
• At 10:50 p.m. on Saturday, the reservoir had 105 tmcft of water when the incident occurred. To manage the situation, the dam authorities promptly alerted the relevant Ministers and departments, and an expert team, including specialists from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, assessed the scenario.
• To lower the reservoir level to 60 TMCFT, 98,000 cusecs of water are being released through the 32 remaining gates currently. The repair work, expected to take about four days, cannot commence until this water reduction is achieved, according to Mr. Shivakumar.
• Since the Tungabhadra is an inter-state project involving Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, the other two riparian states were notified about the incident.
• Sources at KNNL indicated that the reservoir’s water level could be reduced to approximately 60 TMCFT if the slipway discharge is sustained at 200,000 cusecs for the next four or five days. Authorities also noted that there would be no flood risk until the slipway discharge reaches 250,000 cusecs.
• Koppal MLA Raghavendra Hitnal, Assistant Commissioner Mahesh Kumar Malagatti, Superintendent of Police Ram L. Near the reservoir, senior officers, including Arasiddi, were camped. On Sunday morning, the reservoir was visited by Koppal district in-charge Minister Shivaraj Tangadgi, who held discussions with the dam authorities.

The anti-terror operation in Anantnag is ongoing; an injured civilian has died

• A civilian succumbed to injuries on Sunday as a counter-terrorism operation, targeting militants “highly trained in jungle warfare,” continued for the second day in the upper areas of Anantnag district in southern Kashmir.
• On Saturday, an exchange of gunfire between security forces and a group of hiding terrorists resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and injuries to two civilians.
• The police stated they would look into why civilians were present near the encounter site in Kokernag’s Ahlan area, which features challenging terrain and dense forest cover.
• Inspector-General of Police V.K. Birdi stated, “The police are looking into how civilians ended up so near the terrorists.”
• The police suspect that three or four terrorists are in the higher elevations of Kokernag, around 10,000 feet above sea level. Security forces continued their combing operation at the encounter site, which is deep within the forest, over nine kilometers from the nearest road.
• “An extensive search operation is currently underway. The challenging terrain and weather conditions are complicating the effort. It appears that the group may have crossed into this side of the Kashmir Valley from Doda, given that the borders of Anantnag and Doda are linked. Two soldiers and one civilian have been killed, and another civilian is receiving medical treatment,” said Mr. Birdi.
• The deceased soldiers were identified by the Army as Lance Naik Praveen Sharma and Havildar Dipak Kumar Yadav.
• An Army spokesperson stated, “The Chinar Warriors honor their tremendous bravery and sacrifice, extend their deepest condolences, and stand in solidarity with the grieving families.”
• Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed deep sorrow over the loss of our courageous Indian Army soldiers during a counter-terrorist operation in Kokernag, Anantnag (J&K). He extended his heartfelt condolences to the grieving families and affirmed that the nation stands firmly with them during this difficult time, as stated in a post on X.
• The group of terrorists currently trapped is thought to be responsible for the attack in Doda on July 16, which resulted in the deaths of four soldiers. According to official sources, the group is affiliated with a covert faction of the Kashmir Tigers and is “highly trained in jungle warfare.”
• Security forces had been monitoring the group for several weeks as it moved into the Kashmir Valley from the Chenab Valley via high-altitude routes.
• In the meantime, the J&K Police are enhancing border and village security and addressing gaps in the anti-infiltration grid in the Jammu region, which has experienced infiltration by approximately eight groups from across the border this year. Director-General of Police (DGP) R.R. Swain stated that “border villages, known for their support of police and security forces, must play their part in countering infiltration and intrusion.”
• On Sunday evening, security forces and terrorists hiding in the higher areas of Basantgarh in Udhampur district faced a second confrontation. Officials reported that the operation is ongoing and that three to four terrorists are likely trapped in the area.

Heavy rain has claimed 28 lives in North and Northwest India

• On Sunday, at least 28 people were killed in rain-related incidents as heavy rains struck North and Northwest India. The downpours led to landslides, traffic disruptions, house collapses, and a dam breach that flooded several villages in Haryana.
• The Jammu and Kashmir administration announced the suspension of the annual Amarnath Yatra due to heavy rainfall in the Shri Amarnathji Yatra area.
• This marked the second consecutive day of heavy rainfall in the region, with Rajasthan being the most severely affected. The state recorded a total of 16 deaths over two days—14 on Sunday and two on Saturday. An “exceptionally heavy” rainfall of 38 cm was reported in Karauli district.
• On Sunday in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, nine people, including eight family members, lost their lives when their vehicle was swept away by an overflowing seasonal rivulet.
• Agricultural fields in several areas were inundated, prompting officials to call in the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
• Heavy rain struck central, south, southwest, and east Delhi, causing waterlogging and traffic congestion on the roads.
• Officials reported that a seven-year-old boy drowned in a waterlogged park in Rohini’s Sector 20 the previous evening.
• Gurugram received 70 mm of rainfall throughout the day, leading to waterlogging in various areas. This caused traffic congestion, with vehicles and pedestrians navigating through knee-deep water.

Important questions

1. What measures have the authorities implemented to manage the increased outflow from the Tungabhadra reservoir following the damage to the crest gate?
2. How long is the repair work expected to take for the Tungabhadra reservoir, and what conditions must be met before it can begin?
3. What are the challenges faced by security forces in the ongoing counter-terrorism operation in Anantnag?
4. How is the Jammu and Kashmir Police responding to the recent increase in infiltration by groups from across the border?
5. What specific measures are being taken by local authorities to address the damage and provide relief to the affected communities in North and Northwest India following the heavy rains?

Important vocabulary

1. Crest gate: A gate used to control the water level in a reservoir by allowing excess water to flow out.
2. Cusec: Short for “cubic feet per second,” a unit of measurement for the flow rate of water.
3. Prohibitory orders: Official directives issued to prevent certain actions, such as entering restricted areas.
4. TMCFT: An acronym used to measure reservoir storage capacity in volume, representing “Cubic Feet Million Thousand.”
5. Counter-terrorism: Efforts and operations aimed at preventing or responding to terrorism.
6. Combing operation: A thorough search conducted by security forces to locate and neutralize threats.
7. Infiltration: The process of entering or passing through an area, often secretly or covertly, especially by hostile forces.
8. Affiliated: Linked with or affiliated to a larger organization or group.
9. Inundated: Flooded or overwhelmed with water.
10. Exceptional: Unusual or extraordinary in degree or quality.

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