Title: Act firmly
(Sri Lanka’s government must decisively and impartially put down anti-Muslim violence)
ü The sudden spurt in violence targeting Muslims in Sri Lanka may only be limited in comparison to previous racial attacks in the island, but it is serious enough to cast a dark shadow on ethnic relations.
ü That it has caused enough concern and disquiet to warrant the imposition of a state of emergency across the island is a reflection of the prevailing precarious situation.
Reasons
ü The first spark that ignited the violence would have gone down as just an instance of road rage, as a Sinhalese truck driver was beaten to death by a group of Muslims for blocking their way.
ü But this was followed by attacks on Muslim houses, business establishments and mosques.
ü There was one more death, that of a Muslim man, whose burnt body was found in a house.
ü Hardline Sinhala groups then waded in with rumour and inflammatory social media posts, adding to the incendiary mood.
ü In recent years, Muslims have been targeted by extreme right-wing groups, which are presumably looking for new enemies after the fall of the LTTE.
ü More recently, there was hate-mongering(speech) against the community in the backdrop of some Rohingya refugees seeking shelter in Sri Lanka.
Final words:
ü President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe should redouble efforts to ensure that the authorities on the ground act with decisiveness and impartiality.
Title: Rooftop energy
ü (Surveys to map usable rooftops for solar power must be undertaken nationwide)
ü Bengaluru’s aerial (existing) mission to produce a three dimensional map of rooftop solar power potential using Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) data can give this key source of power a big boost. Similar mapping exercises have been carried out in several countries over the past few years to assess how much of a city’s power needs can be met through rooftop solar installations.
ü With steady urbanisation, solar maps of this kind will help electricity utilities come up with good business cases and investment vehicles and give residents an opportunity to become partners in the effort.
ü An initiative to rapidly scale up rooftop solar installations is needed if the target of creating 40 GW of capacity connected to the grid by 2022 is to be realised.
ü Rooftop solar power growth has demonstrated an overall positive trend, including in the fourth quarter of 2017.
ü But this will need to be scaled up massively to achieve the national target.
ü Major solar projects that connect to the grid often face the challenge of land acquisition and transmission connectivity.
ü This has led to a delay in planned capacity coming on stream during 2017: nearly 3,600 MW did not get commissioned during the last quarter, out of a scheduled 5,100 MW.
ü What this underscores is the importance of exploiting rooftop solar, which represents only about 11% of the country’s 19,516 MW total installed capacity at the start of 2018.
ü India, which is a founder-member of the International Solar Alliance launched in Paris during the climate change conference more than two years ago, must strive to be a global leader.
ü Initiatives such as the Bengaluru mapping project can contribute to assessments of both real potential and risk. This is crucial for projects on a large scale involving significant exposure for financial institutions, including banks.
ü With ongoing improvements to solar cell efficiency and battery technology, rooftops will only get more attractive in the future.
Vocabulary words:
- Decisively (adv) = In a way that shows the ability to make decisions effectively (दृढ़ता से)
- Impartially (adv) = In a way that treats all rivals or disputants equally (निष्पक्ष)
- Spurt (noun) = Bounce (उछाल)
- Racial (adj) = Ethnic (जातीय)
- Prevailing (adj) = Existing at a particular time (प्रचलित)
- Precarious (adj) = Uncertain (अनिश्चित)
- Bolster (verb) = Support, strengthen
- Strife (noun) = Conflict (कलह)
- Reverberation (noun) = A continuing effect
- Wade (verb) = Attack vigorously or forcefully
- Incendiary (adj) = Tending to stir up conflict (आग भड़कानेवाला)
- Protracted (adj) = Lasting for a long time than expected
- Massacres (noun) = Slaughter (नरसंहार)
- Presumably (adv) = Probably (शायद)
- Intimidation (noun) = Frightening, scaring (धमकी)
- Strive (verb) = Struggle (प्रयास करना)
