THE HINDU EDITORIAL : JANUARY 8, 2019

Dear Banking Aspirants,

THE HINDU EDITORIAL – January 8, 2018, is one of the must-read section for the competitive exams like  IBPS Clerk 2018 Mains Exam, Canara Bank PO – PGDBF 2018 and IBPS SO 2018. These topics are widely expected to be asked in the reading comprehension, Cloze Test or Error Detection in the forthcoming exams. So gear up your Exam preparation and learn new words daily.

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A) Death traps: on Meghalaya’s illegal mines

The Meghalaya government must urgently ensure that all illegal mines are shut down

The tardy response of the Centre and the State of Meghalaya to the plight of at least 15 workers trapped in a rat-hole coal mine since mid-December has exposed the extraordinary indifference in government to labour welfare and the law. Two workers have been found dead in a second mine in the East Jaintia Hills district. The primary responsibility for the operation of illegal mines lies with the State government, and it should be called to account for ignoring the directions of the National Green Tribunal to close them and levy punitive royalties on those that extracted the coal. Several appeals are before the Supreme Court in connection with a ban ordered by the Tribunal on rat-hole mining and the transport of already mined coal. It should be possible at least now to put an end to it. The Meghalaya government has been evasive on the issue of the continued operation of the illegal mines, in spite of the adverse findings of the Justice B.P. Katoki committee appointed by the NGT. It avoided taking action even after a similar mine-flooding accident that claimed 15 lives in 2012 in South Garo Hills, and the subsequent ban. Although the NGT has ordered the State to deposit ₹100 crore with the Central Pollution Control Board for environmental restoration in the wake of the recent disaster at Ksan in East Jaintia Hills, the first-order priority is to close the rat-hole mines. It is the responsibility of the Centre and the State to rehabilitate the workers from impoverished communities, reportedly including some child labourers, who are ready to undertake the risky labour because of the higher-than-average wages paid. This should not be difficult, considering that the value of extracted coal stored in Meghalaya was officially estimated at over ₹3,078 crore four years ago, and mineral resources should be treated as state property.

The scale is high: as interpreted from satellite images and reported by the Katoki panel, it could be of the order of 24,000 mines, many of them illegal. If illegal mines continue to operate in flagrant violation of rules under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, the responsibility lies with the State government. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has said a ban on coal mining is not the solution, given the economic conditions in the region. Yet, the State government has done little to implement reforms and diversify employment away from dirty mining under primitive conditions over the years, in spite of judicial orders. In fact, authorities in Shillong continue to ignore such directions, as the accident at the Lumthari mine in East Jaintia Hills shows. As recently as in December, Parliament was informed that 22 States had constituted a task force to review illegal mining and act on it, but Meghalaya does not figure in that list. A clean-up is overdue.

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B) The wizards in Oz: India’s series win in Australia

Pujara, Pant and a spirited bowling attack cast a fine spell over Australia

Dark clouds hung over the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday, holding off India’s bid to win the Test series against Australia in greater style. Yet, the final 2-1 result is historic, with India for the first time defeating Australia in Australia in a Test series. Having flourished at Adelaide and Melbourne, the two victories split by the solitary loss at Perth, Virat Kohli’s men were in good spirits when they reached Sydney. Their soaring confidence found validation through a first innings total of 622 for seven (declared), a challenge to Australia that built upon Cheteshwar Pujara’s 193 and Rishabh Pant’s unbeaten 159. Australia scored 300 and suffered the ignominy of following on before bad light and wet weather rescued the hosts. But India had done enough to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The triumph is doubly delicious as it was seized within Australia, an achievement that eluded previous Indian squads. Since its maiden Test at Lord’s in 1932, India gained strength as a powerhouse at home but remained diffident overseas. England, West Indies and Pakistan were humbled on their home turf but Australia, until now, never wilted. It remained unconquerable, unleashing fiery fast bowlers and marauding batsmen. Lala Amarnath’s men were the first to tour Australia for the 1947-48 series and they returned after losing 0-4. Later Indian teams were either defeated or ended up forcing a stalemate.

When Kohli’s men set foot Down Under, there was the weight of past losses to contend with, besides a need to prove that their No. 1 Test ranking could stand scrutiny when they travelled beyond the subcontinent. It didn’t help that an enfeebled Australia, following the ball-tampering crisis of 2018, was expected to collapse. The expectation this time around was direct and strident: India had to win. Kohli’s men did that gloriously against Tim Paine’s men, who fought for large stretches before discarding their spirit towards the business end. It wasn’t easy and India did have its headaches. Midway, it had to jettison the malfunctioning opening pair of Murali Vijay and K.L. Rahul. Lead spinner R. Ashwin, after choking the Aussies at Adelaide, picked up a side-strain, and the ambiguity over his fitness level before the concluding Test triggered some conspiracy theories. The squad missed two regulars, who were tending to injuries: wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha and opener Prithvi Shaw. Still, India found the right men for different occasions. Kohli scored a ton, Pujara did even better, delivering three centuries, amassing 521 and averaging 74.43. The fast bowling unit was incisive and Jasprit Bumrah sizzled with 21 wickets. Pant caught well and provided valuable runs lower down the order. The latest achievement in Australia has to be savoured. Now South Africa remains the “final frontier”, as it were — India is yet to win a Test series there.

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VOCABULARY

1) tardy

Meaning : delaying or delayed beyond the right or expected time; late(adj).

Synonyms : delayed

Antonyms : prompt

Example : “please forgive this tardy reply”

2) trapped

Meaning : trick or deceive (someone) into doing something contrary to their interests or intentions(v).

Tamil Meaning : சிக்கி

Synonyms : cornered

Antonyms : degage

Example : “I hoped to trap him into an admission”

3) levy

Meaning : impose (a tax, fee, or fine)(v).

Synonyms : tariff

Antonyms : demote

Example : “a tax of two per cent was levied on all cargoes”

4) punitive

Meaning : inflicting or intended as punishment(adj).

Tamil Meaning : தண்டனை

Synonyms : vindictive

Antonyms : beneficial

Example : “he called for punitive measures against the Eastern bloc”

5) extracted

Meaning : remove or take out, especially by effort or force(v).

Tamil Meaning : பிரித்தெடுக்கப்படும்

Synonyms : derive

Antonyms : disperse

Example : “the fossils are extracted from the chalk”

6) appeals

Meaning : make a serious, urgent, or heartfelt request(v).

Tamil Meaning : முறையீடுகள்

Synonyms : claim

Antonyms : reply

Example : “police are appealing for information about the incident”

7) evasive

Meaning : tending to avoid commitment or self-revelation, especially by responding only indirectly(adj).

Tamil Meaning : மழுப்பலான

Synonyms : deceptive

Antonyms : honest

Example : “she was evasive about her phone number”

8) adverse

Meaning : preventing success or development; harmful; unfavourable(adj).

Tamil Meaning : பாதகமான

Synonyms : unfortunate

Antonyms : nice

Example : “taxes are having an adverse effect on production”

9) claimed

Meaning : state or assert that something is the case, typically without providing evidence or proof(v).

Tamil Meaning : கூறினார்

Synonyms : assert

Antonyms : abandon

Example : “the Prime Minister claimed that he was concerned about Third World debt”

10) subsequent

Meaning : coming after something in time; following(adj).

Tamil Meaning : அடுத்தடுத்த

Synonyms : ensuing

Antonyms : preceding

Example : “the theory was developed subsequent to the earthquake of 1906″

11) restoration

Meaning : the action of returning something to a former owner, place, or condition(n).

Tamil Meaning : மறுசீரமைப்பு

Synonyms : reclamation

Antonyms : destruction

Example : “the restoration of Andrew’s sight”

12) rehabilitate

Meaning : restore (someone) to health or normal life by training and therapy after imprisonment, addiction, or illness.

Tamil Meaning : வளப்படுத்துவதற்கு

Synonyms : improve

Antonyms : decline

Example : “helping to rehabilitate former criminals”

13) impoverished

Meaning : make (a person or area) poor(v).

Tamil Meaning : வறிய

Synonyms : destitute

Antonyms : full

Example : “the wars had impoverished him”

14) estimated

Meaning : roughly calculate or judge the value, number, quantity, or extent of.(v)

Tamil Meaning : மதிப்பீட்டிலான

Synonyms : predicted

Antonyms : computed

Example : “the aim is to estimate the effects of macroeconomic policy on the economy”

15) interpreted

Meaning : explain the meaning of (information or actions)(v).

Tamil Meaning : விளக்கம்

Synonyms : predicted

Antonyms : distorted

Example : “the evidence is difficult to interpret”

16) flagrant

Meaning : (of an action considered wrong or immoral) conspicuously or obviously offensive(adj).

Tamil Meaning : வெளிப்படையான

Synonyms : brazen

Antonyms : concealed

Example : “a flagrant violation of the law”

17) implement

Meaning : a tool, utensil, or other piece of equipment that is used for a particular purpose(n).

Tamil Meaning : செயல்படுத்த

Synonyms : utensil

Antonyms : exempt

Example : “garden implements”

18) reforms

Meaning : make changes in (something, especially an institution or practice) in order to improve it(v).

Tamil Meaning : சீர்திருத்தங்கள்

Synonyms : improve

Antonyms : destroy

Example : “the Bill will reform the tax system”

19) primitive

Meaning : relating to, denoting, or preserving the character of an early stage in the evolutionary or historical development of something.

Tamil Meaning : பழமையான

Synonyms : primeval

Antonyms : auxiliary

Example : “primitive mammals”

20) diversify

Meaning : make or become more diverse or varied(v).

Synonyms : transform

Antonyms : continue

Example : “the trilobites diversified into a great number of species”

21) constituted

Meaning : be (a part) of a whole(v).

Tamil Meaning : அமைக்கப்பட்டது

Synonyms : establish

Antonyms : destroy

Example : “lone parents constitute a great proportion of the poor”

22) overdue

Meaning : not having arrived, happened, or been done by the expected time.

Tamil Meaning : தாமதத்திற்கு

Synonyms : belated

Antonyms : early

Example : “the rent was nearly three months overdue”

23) bid

Meaning : offer (a certain price) for something, especially at an auction(v).

Tamil Meaning : முயற்சியில்

Synonyms : offer

Antonyms : withdrawal

Example : “a consortium of dealers bid a world record price for a snuff box”

24) flourished

Meaning : (of a living organism) grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly congenial environment(v).

Tamil Meaning : தழைத்தோங்கியது

Synonyms : develop

Antonyms : decrease

Example : “wild plants flourish on the banks of the lake”

25) soaring

Meaning : fly or rise high in the air(v).

Tamil Meaning : உயரும்

Synonyms : steep

Antonyms : ground

Example : “the bird spread its wings and soared into the air”

26) ignominy

Meaning : public shame or disgrace(n).

Tamil Meaning : இழிவு

Synonyms : disgrace

Antonyms : dignity

Example : “the ignominy of being imprisoned”

27) rescued

Meaning : save (someone) from a dangerous or difficult situation(v).

Tamil Meaning : மீட்கப்பட்டு

Synonyms : extricate

Antonyms : harm

Example : “firemen rescued a man trapped in the river”

28) triumph

Meaning : a great victory or achievement(n).

Tamil Meaning : வெற்றி

Synonyms : pride

Antonyms : failure

Example : “a garden built to celebrate Napoleon’s many triumphs”

29) seized

Meaning : take hold of suddenly and forcibly(v).

Tamil Meaning : பறிமுதல்

Synonyms : captured

Antonyms : released

Example : “she jumped up and seized his arm”

30) eluded

Meaning : escape from or avoid (a danger, enemy, or pursuer), typically in a skilful or cunning way(v).

Tamil Meaning : தப்பி செல்

Synonyms : evade

Antonyms : abet

Example : “he tried to elude the security men by sneaking through a back door”

31) marauding

Meaning : going about in search of things to steal or people to attack(adj).

Tamil Meaning :

Synonyms : despoil

Antonyms : assist

Example : “marauding gangs of youths”

32) turf

Meaning : force (someone) to leave somewhere(v).

Synonyms : lawn

Antonyms : lodge

Example : “they were turfed off the bus”

33) stalemate

Meaning : bring to or cause to reach stalemate(v) .

Tamil Meaning : இக்கட்டான நிலை

Synonyms : delay

Antonyms : advance

Example : “the currently stalemated peace talks”

34) scrutiny

Meaning : critical observation or examination(n).

Tamil Meaning : கண்காணிப்பின்

Synonyms : analysis

Example : “every aspect of local government was placed under scrutiny“

35) strident

Meaning : (of a sound) loud and harsh; grating.(adj)

Tamil Meaning : கடுமையானதாகவே

Synonyms : blatant

Antonyms : quiet

Example : “his voice had become increasingly strident”

36) tampering

Meaning : interfere with (something) in order to cause damage or make unauthorized alterations(v).

Tamil Meaning : சேதப்படுத்திய

Synonyms : meddle

Antonyms : improve

Example : “someone tampered with the brakes of my car”

37) enfeebled

Meaning : make weak or feeble(v).

Synonyms : attenuate

Antonyms : aid

Example : “trade unions are in an enfeebled state”

38) discarding

Meaning : get rid of (someone or something) as no longer useful or desirable.

Tamil Meaning : நிராகரிப்பை

Synonyms : dump

Antonyms : accept

Example : “Hilary bundled up the clothes she had discarded”

39) choking

Meaning : (of a person or animal) have severe difficulty in breathing because of a constricted or obstructed throat or a lack of air.

Tamil Meaning : அடைத்தல்

Synonyms : congest

Antonyms : free

Example : “Willie choked on a mouthful of tea”

40) unleashing

Meaning : release (a dog) from a leash(v).

Synonyms : discharge

Antonyms : hold

Example : “they dig up badger setts and unleash terriers into them”

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