Functioning of CBI

Why in news?

• The Supreme Court has rejected the Centre’s contention that it has no authority over the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Background

• The Supreme court was dealing with a suit filed by the state of West Bengal under Article 131of the constitution, accusing the Union government of “interfering” in cases originating within the state’s jurisdiction by unilaterally authorizing the CBI to probe them.
• West Bengal said the Centre continues to employ the CBI despite withdrawal of general consent to CBI investigations within its territory under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)

• CBI, functioning under the Ministry of Personnel, Pension & Public Grievances, Government of India, is the premier investigating police agency in India.
• History: The CBI came into being during World War II, when the colonial government felt the need to probe cases of corruption in the War and Supply Department. A law came in 1941. It became the DSPE Act in 1946.
  • It was established by a resolution of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, in
  • The Santhanam Committee on Prevention of Corruption recommended the establishment of the CBI.
• Functions: CBI was established with a view to investigate serious crimes related to the defense of India, corruption in high places, serious fraud, cheating, and embezzlement and social crime, particularly hoarding, black marketing, and profiteering in essential commodities, having all-India and inter-state ramifications.
  • It is also the nodal police agency in India that coordinates investigations on behalf of Interpol member countries.
• Jurisdiction:CBI derives power to investigate from the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946.
  • Section 2of the Act vests DSPE with jurisdiction to investigate offenses in the Union Territories only.
  • The jurisdiction can be extended by the Central Government to other areas including Railway areas and States under Section 5(1) of the Act, provided the State Government accords consent under Section 6 of the Act.

How many types of consent are there for the CBI?

• There are two types of consentfor a probe by the CBI. These are: general and specific.
• When a state gives a general consent to the CBI for probing a case, the agency is not required to seek fresh permission every time it enters that state in connection with investigation or for every case.
• Specific Consent:When a general consent is withdrawn, CBI needs to seek case-wise consent for investigation from the concerned state government.
  • If specific consent is not granted, the CBI officials will not have the power of police personnel when they enter that state.

Issues in functioning of CBI 

• Legislative Problems: The conduct or continuance of investigation into offenses committed within the territory of a state, consent of the state is required which most of the time is delayed or even denied.
• Political Issues:In 2013, the Supreme Court described the CBI as “a caged parrot speaking in its master’s voice” (Politicization of CBI).
  • The observation was made in the context of government interference in the functioning of the CBI in its investigation of the coal blocks allocation cases.
• Transparency Issues:The CBI is exempted from the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.
• Overlapping Functions:There is an overlap in jurisdictions of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), CBI and Lokpal in certain cases leading to problems.

Way Ahead

• The role, jurisdiction and legal powers of the CBI need to be clearly laid down. It will give it goal clarity, role clarity, autonomy in all spheres and an image makeover as an independent autonomous statutory body.
• The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2007)also suggested that “a new law should be enacted to govern the working of the CBI”.
• The 19th and 24th reports of the parliamentary standing committees (2007 and 2008) recommended that “the need of the hour is to strengthen the CBI in terms of legal mandate, infrastructure and resources”.

Monitoring of Urban Heat Islands

Why in news?

• The role of tech is in providing data-driven insightsinto the nature and intensity of heat stress in urban heat islands.

Tech Innovations for Monitoring Weather and Heat Risks

• In India, several tech innovations have enhanced weather and heat risk monitoring. 
  • There is the soft infrastructure of remote sensing satelliteswhich provide data for tracking weather patterns, land surface temperatures and urban heat islands.
  • Hard infrastructuresensors are deployed in cities to gather real-time data on several parameters like temperature, humidity, precipitation and air quality.
• Challenges:India’s tech adoption in weather and heat risk monitoring is improving but is not at par with other developed countries.
  • The leading Indian cities have seven to eight India Meteorological Development weather stations on an average, a comparable city like San Francisco would have more than 100 weather monitoring stations.
  • Data:India focuses more on water risk and security and hence have more granular data on precipitation, while heat is not a consistent part of the monitoring process.
    • In developed economies, weather tracking is done by a variety of actors, from academic and research institutions to government bodies to the private sector. All of this rich data provides a much more nuanced understanding of scenarios.

What is an Urban Heat Island? 

• An Urban Heat Island (UHI) is an area in which the temperature is higher than in surrounding rural areasdue to human activities and infrastructure.

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

• Urban heat islands could lead to temperature differences of up to six degrees centigradewithin a given area or neighbourhood.
• Urban heat islands result from complex interactions between built environments, natural factors, and human activities. 

Factors Responsible for Urban Heat Islands

• Built Environment:The materials used in urban construction, such as concrete and asphalt, absorb and retain heat, raising local temperatures.
• Reduced Vegetation:Urban areas typically have fewer trees and green spaces compared to rural areas, which reduces the cooling effect of shade and transpiration.
• Human Activities:Activities like transportation, industry, and energy consumption release heat into the environment, further elevating temperatures.
• Altered Surface Characteristics:Urbanization often involves replacing natural surfaces with artificial ones, which alters the surface reflectivity (albedo) and thermal properties, contributing to increased heat absorption.
• Ecological Factors: According to a 2014 Indian Institute of Science report, the ideal tree-human ratio should be seven trees for every person. The lack of trees increases the risk of exposure to higher temperatures.
  • In Indian cities there are places with such poor density of trees as one tree for 50 people.
  • Also the lack of water bodies can add to the heat effect.

Concerns

• Health Risks:Elevated temperatures in urban areas lead to heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, particularly among vulnerable populations like the elderly, children, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions.
• Energy Consumption:Higher temperatures in urban areas lead to increased demand for cooling, which escalates energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions.
• Water Management:UHIs disrupt local water cycles by altering evaporation rates and reducing groundwater recharge.
• Social Inequity:Vulnerable populations, including low-income communities and people living in inadequate housing, are often disproportionately affected by UHIs due to limited access to cooling resources and healthcare services.

Suggestions

• Increasing Vegetation:Planting trees and creating green spaces can help reduce the urban heat island effect by providing shade and evaporative cooling.
• Cool Roofs:Using materials with high solar reflectance on roofs can reduce heat absorption and lower surface temperatures. White or reflective roofing materials can significantly decrease the amount of heat absorbed by buildings.
• Urban Planning and Design:Incorporating UHI mitigation strategies into urban planning and design can help create cooler and more livable cities.
  • This includes designing streetscapes with wider sidewalks, shade structures, and strategic placement of buildings to maximize shade and airflow.
• Water Bodies and Fountains:Incorporating water bodies such as ponds, lakes, and fountains into urban areas can help cool the surrounding environment through evaporative cooling and creating microclimates.
• Community Engagement and Education:Educating residents about the urban heat island effect and ways to mitigate it can foster community involvement in UHI reduction efforts.

Way Ahead

• The role of tech is in providing data-driven insights into the nature and intensity of heat stress, providing early warning, and at the mitigation end look at the larger gamut of materials and coming up with ‘cooler’ materials.
• But more importantly, the urban heat islands issue is an urban design and development issue, which needs to be looked at from a bigger lens of economic policy, city management and sustainable living in cities.