Women safety in India is a serious issue that needs to be addressed urgently. According to the web search results, India is considered to be one of the most dangerous countries for women, with over 4 lakh reported cases of crime against women in 2019. Some of the reasons behind the increasing violence against women are the patriarchal mindset, the objectification of women by the entertainment industry, the delayed punishment, the lack of awareness, and the lack of infrastructure

The government has taken some initiatives to ensure women’s safety and security, such as introducing emergency response systems, monitoring and tracking crimes, and providing legal aid. However, these measures are not enough to prevent the atrocities that women face every day. There is a need for a complete women safety mechanism that involves the society, the families, the schools, and the institutions to create a culture of respect and equality for women. Women should not live in fear or be restricted from any social activity. They should be empowered to pursue their dreams and aspirations, just like men. 🙌

Groundwater regeneration by ponds is a process of replenishing the underground water resources by using ponds as natural reservoirs. Ponds can capture rainwater and runoff, and allow it to percolate into the soil and recharge the aquifers. This can help in improving the water availability and quality, as well as mitigating the effects of drought and climate change.

According to some sources, India has about 2.4 million ponds, which cover about 0.4% of the country’s land area1. However, many of these ponds are degraded due to pollution, encroachment, siltation, and neglect. This reduces their capacity to store and filter water, and affects the ecosystem services they provide. Therefore, there is a need to restore and conserve the pond ecosystems in India.

Some of the strategies for pond restoration and conservation include2:

• Legal and policy reforms to recognize the value of ponds and protect them from threats.
• Nature-based solutions (NBS) such as constructed wetlands, biofilters, and aquatic plants to enhance the water quality and biodiversity of ponds.
• Technologies such as environmental-DNA (e-DNA), life cycle assessment (LCA), and remote sensing to monitor and evaluate the pond conditions and impacts.
• Community participation and awareness to involve the local stakeholders in the management and maintenance of ponds.

Pond regeneration can also contribute to the circular economy (CE), which is a system that aims to minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency. Ponds can support the CE by2:

• Providing water for multiple purposes such as irrigation, drinking, and recreation.
• Recycling nutrients and organic matter from wastewater and agricultural runoff.
• Sequestering carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Supporting livelihoods and income generation through fisheries, tourism, and other activities.

The Lok Sabha on Friday expelled Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra from Parliament in a cash-for-query case. Earlier in the day, the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee submitted a report recommending Moitra’s expulsion from the House.

In October, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, based on a complaint by Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, alleged that the Krishnagar MP had asked questions in Parliament in exchange for cash and gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani whose business interests conflicted with those of industrialist Gautam Adani. In an affidavit to the Ethics Committee on October 19, Hiranandani claimed that Moitra provided him with her login ID and password for the Lok Sabha members’ website so that he could “post questions” directly “on her behalf when required”.Earlier on Friday, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Congress’s floor leader in the House, cited the length of the report and requested Speaker Om Birla to allow MPs three to four days to go through the report. Meanwhile, the BJP issued a whip for all of its members to be present.