What to Read in The Hindu Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1: Clean house

Context

Complete mechanisation of septic tank desludging is essential.

Introduction

Despite numerous laws, schemes, and court directives, hazardous manual scavenging continues to claim lives in India. A flawed contracting system, lack of protective gear, and weak monitoring expose workers—mostly from Dalit communities—to daily danger. The 2022–2023 deaths highlight the urgent need for mechanisation, better enforcement, and meaningful rehabilitation for sanitation workers.

Root Causes Behind Cleaning Deaths (2022–2023)

• A total of 150 peopledied during hazardous cleaning operations in 2022 and 2023.
• A social audit of 54 cases, presented by the Ministry of Social Justice in Parliament, revealed a flawed system.
• Only 5 workerswere on government payroll; 38 were hired by local contractors.
• Several public sector employees were illegally “loaned” to private firms, making it hard to fix responsibility.
• This continues despite laws and schemes, including:
  • The Manual Scavengers Act (2013).
  • Supreme Court orders.
  • Swachh Bharat Mission
  • The NAMASTE scheme (2023).

Poor Implementation and Lack of Support

• A 2024 Parliament replyhighlighted serious gaps:
  • 57,758workers involved in hazardous cleaning.
  • Only 16,791 PPE kitswere distributed.
  • Less than 14,000 health cards
  • Only 837 safety workshopsheld across 4,800 urban local bodies.
• Bright spots:
  • Odisha: Workers have PPE kits and mechanised desludging vehicles.
  • Tamil Nadu: Sewer robots in Chennai cleaned over 5,000 manholes.
• However, these successes have not scaled to most districts.
• Experts also point out a lack of data on rural sanitation workers, leaving many invisible to policy.

Structural Failures and Needed Reforms

• The core issueis lack of enforcement:
  • Infrastructure can be cleaned mechanicallyif government provides subsidies and training.
  • Yet, tenders often still invite manual work bids.
• Emergency sanitation unitsare mostly non-functional.
• Under the NAMASTE scheme, only ₹14 crore has been disbursed — insufficient even for one major city.
• In case of worker deaths:
  • Blame is usually shifted to low-ranking supervisors.
  • Deaths are often recorded as accidents.
• The Supreme Courthas directed:
  • Cancellation of illegal contracts.
  • Penalties on principal employers.
  • But local authorities haven’t actedon these orders.
• Dalits form two-thirdsof validated sanitation workers but:
  • Rehabilitation packagesrarely include essentials like housing or scholarships.
• Women, especially those cleaning dry latrines, face severe neglect.

Action Steps for Real Reform

• Mechanise sewer cleaningurgently across urban areas.
• Make it a licensed profession— operating without certification should be a cognisable offence.
• Offer loansfor workers to purchase machines, and link them with guaranteed service contracts.
• Include septic tank desludgingunder the Swachh Bharat (Rural)
• Expand NAMASTE worker profilingto gram panchayats in rural areas.

Conclusion

To prevent further deaths, India must ensure strict enforcement, invest in mechanised cleaning, and offer loans and licences to sanitation workers. The government must expand NAMASTE coverage, provide PPE kits, and support Dalit and female workers with housing, scholarships, and social protection. Only political will, technology, and accountability can dismantle this cycle of neglect and injustice.

 Editorial 2: ​The India-U.K. FTA spells a poor deal for public health

Context

Cheaper junk food from free trade deals can lead to costly health problems.

Introduction

India and the United Kingdom signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on July 24, 2025. The deal was signed by India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and U.K.’s Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.K. Earlier, on July 22, 2025, the Indian Cabinet had approved the agreement. Officially, the deal is called the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, and it was first announced after talks ended on May 6, 2025.

• The India-U.K. Free Trade Agreement (FTA)is economically beneficial for both countries.
• But it could cause public health problemsin India.
• The FTA allows K. food productslike biscuits, chocolates, and soft drinks to enter India without tariffs, making them cheaper.
• Many of these items are high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS), which can lead to serious health issuesover time.
• Low pricesand strong advertising may increase their consumption, harming people’s health.

Lessons from the Mexico-NAFTA Experience

• The concerns about the India-U.K. FTA’s public health risksare real, not imagined.
• In 1992, after NAFTAwas signed between Mexico, the U.S., and Canada, Mexico failed to put in strong public health rules.
• This led to:
  • A sharp rise in imports of cheap sugary drinks and snacks.
  • Increased consumption of high fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) foods.
  • A surge in obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related diseases.
• Mexico managed to slow this down only by:
  • Introducing a ‘Soda Tax’.
  • Placing warning labelson unhealthy food in 2014.

Public Health Risks for India

• From a health perspective, the India-U.K. FTAis worrying for India.
• The K. has stronger rulesto control unhealthy food sales, while India’s rules are weak.
• For example, the K. has banned:
  • HFSS food ads on TV before 9 p.m.
  • All paid online ads for HFSS foodsstarting October 1, 2025.
• The K. also usesa ‘traffic light’ label system:
  • Green= Low fat/sugar/salt
  • Amber= Medium
  • Red= High
  • This helps people choose healthier options

Weak Regulations in India

• India has no strong lawsto stop junk food ads aimed at children.
• Current rules are poorly enforcedand often ignored.
• Ad regulationsare handled by the Advertising Standards Council of India, an industry-led body, not a government one.
• Self-regulationin the food sector has mostly failed.
• Some laws exist to ban misleading ads, but:
  • Regulators rarely actagainst violators.
  • No real penaltiesare given.
• Cartoon charactersand celebrity ads make junk food seem normal, especially to children.
• Many celebrities promote products they don’t even use, but this has never caused public anger.

Delay in Warning Labels on Packaged Foods in India

• In India, a decision on mandatory Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling (FOPNL)is still pending.
• The Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020need changes, but no final call has been made yet.
• Research shows that warning labelsare the most effective in reducing consumption of High Fat, Sugar, and Salt (HFSS)
• However, Indian authorities are leaning toward “star ratings”, which may be misleadingand less effective.
• In September 2022, amendments were proposed to make warning labels mandatory, but no action has been taken even after 3 years.
• After a Public Interest Litigation (PIL)in April 2025, the Supreme Court directed the government to make a decision quickly.
• Many experts blame industry pressure, which has pushed for the confusing star rating systeminstead of clear warning labels (like Chile’s black octagon system).

Rise in Lifestyle Diseases and Food Industry Influence

• Lifestyle diseaseslike obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure are rising fast across all age groups, especially in children and teens.
• A March 2025 Lancet studyshowed that obesity is growing globally.
• In India, sales of Ultra Processed Foods (UPF)and HFSS items grew at 3% CAGR from 2011 to 2021.
• In June 2025, 29 organisations released a joint statementurging for mandatory warning labels on HFSS and UPF foods.
• The statement also highlighted the serious health risksthese foods pose.

FTAs and the Health vs Economy Dilemma

• Trade and FTAsare important for economic growth, but they can also bring cheaper junk food, which is harmful to health.
• These fears are based on solid global evidence.
• Global health experts now talk about Commercial Determinants of Health— how business actions and trade deals affect public health.
• India is planningto sign another trade deal, the India-European Free Trade Agreement (TEPA) with Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein in October 2025.
• More such FTAsmay be signed in the future.
• While they bring economic benefits, they could also become “Trojan horses”for non-communicable diseases, unless strong public health protections are put in place.
• There is an urgent need to balance trade goalswith people’s health by ensuring clear food labelling and strict rules on marketing junk food.

Steps India Must Take After Signing the India-U.K. FTA

• Now that the India-U.K. FTAhas been signed, the legal text will be prepared soon.
• This is a crucial momentfor India to act quickly and reduce the health risks from the FTA.
• India must take strong stepsto control advertising of HFSS foods, as recommended in the Economic Survey 2024–25 and the Dietary Guidelines for Indians (May 2024).
• The government should immediately implementa mandatory Front-of-Pack Nutrition Label (FOPNL) using clear warning labels.
• The idea of setting up ‘Sugar Boards’and ‘Oil Boards’ in schools is a good start for building health-focused schools.
• But India should also think about a more complete approach, like creating ‘HFSS boards’to raise awareness about unhealthy foods.
• Packaged and junk foodsshould be banned from school and college canteens, and healthy meals must be promoted instead.

Conclusion

Quick action is needed to protect people from the possible impact of current and future free trade agreements (FTAs). Public health workers and health policy makers should take a more active role in dealing with trade-related issues, especially those involving ultra-processed foods and foods high in fat, salt, and sugar. This is a serious public health concern that affects almost every Indian, no matter their age, and it must be treated as a priority.