TOPIC OF THE DAY :-“A) Cyclone Gaja: Being Prepared Against Extreme Events”
Coastal districts must continue to strengthen resilience against extreme weather events
Tamil Nadu was more prepared than before to deal with Cyclone Gaja when it made landfall between Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam on November 16, but it still took a toll of at least 45 lives. The severe cyclonic storm damaged infrastructure, property and agriculture. Even so, the effort to professionalise disaster management through a dedicated national and State organisation initiated more than 15 years ago appears to be paying off, with bureaucracies acquiring higher efficiency in providing early warning and in mitigating the impact of cyclones. The National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project started by the Ministry of Home Affairs has been working to reduce the impact of such catastrophicevents on Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, classified as States with highervulnerability; most western coastal States are in the next category. However, there is a lot to be done to upgrade infrastructure and housing in coastal districts to meet higher standards of resilience in an era of extreme weather events. The lead taken by the State Disaster Management Authority in issuing a stream of alerts ahead of Gaja helped coastal residents move to camps and adopt safety measures. The active measures taken by the State after the cyclone, notably to clear roads, remove fallen trees and repair power infrastructure and communications, helped restore some stability. In its destructive exit path, the cyclone has affected some southern districts, felling tens of thousands of trees and also 30,000 electricity poles along the coast. It also hit residents in some central Kerala districts.
Tamil Nadu’s political parties have acted in a mature manner and kept partisan criticism from getting in the way of relief and rehabilitation after Gaja. This is in contrast to some earlier instances, such as the Chennai flood of 2015, when the distribution of relief became politicised. Today, if any pressure on the government machinery is necessary, it is to secure without delay the financial relief of ₹10 lakh that has been promised for families of the dead, compensation for lost crops, trees and livestock, provision of emergency health intervention and rehabilitation assistance to rebuild lives. The larger question, of course, is whether the coastal States have equipped themselves for an even bigger event, such as the super cyclone that hit Odisha in 1999 that killed about 10,000 people. Even with far fewer casualties, Cyclone Phailin in 2013 required reconstruction estimated at $1.5 billion. India’s coastline experiences a lower frequency of tropical cyclones compared to many other regions, but the loss of life and destruction is much higher. Coastal States must, therefore, focus on reducing the hazard through policies that expand resilient housing, build better storm shelters and create financial mechanisms for insurance and compensation.
1) bureaucracy
Meaning : a system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives(n).
Synonyms : authority
Antonyms : anarchy
Example : “his bureaucratic behavior annoyed his colleagues”
2) mitigating
Meaning : make (something bad) less severe, serious, or painful(v).
Synonyms : allaying
Antonyms : exacerbating
Example : “drainage schemes have helped to mitigate this problem”
3) catastrophic
Meaning : involving or causing sudden great damage or suffering(Adj).
Synonyms : disastrous
Antonyms : lucky
Example : “a catastrophic earthquake”
4) vulnerability
Meaning : the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally(n).
Synonyms : exposure
Antonyms : invincibility
Example : “conservation authorities have realized the vulnerability of the local population”
5) resilience
Meaning : the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness(n).
Synonyms : flexibility
Antonyms : frailty
Example : “the often remarkable resilience of so many British institutions”
6) equipped
Meaning : supply with the necessary items for a particular purpose.
Synonyms : prepared
Antonyms : unequipped
Example : “all bedrooms are equipped with a colour TV”
7) tussle
Meaning : a vigorous struggle or scuffle, typically in order to obtain or achieve something(n).
Synonyms : fight
Antonyms : agreement
Example : “there was a tussle for the ball”
8) unprecedented
Meaning : never done or known before(adj).
Synonyms : unusual
Antonyms : traditional
Example : “the government took the unprecedented step of releasing confidential correspondence”
9) consultation
Meaning : the action or process of formally consulting or discussing(n).
Synonyms : discussion
Antonyms : connotation
Example : “they improved standards in consultation with consumer representatives”
10) subservient
Meaning : prepared to obey others unquestioningly(adj).
Synonyms : slavish
Antonyms : assertive
Example : “she was subservient to her parents”
11) vaguely
Meaning : in a way that is uncertain, indefinite or unclear; roughly.(adv)
Synonyms : foggily
Antonyms : clearly
Example : “he vaguely remembered talking to her once”
12) Eminent
Meaning : (of a person) famous and respected within a particular sphere(adj).
Synonyms : famous
Antonyms : inferior
Example : “one of the world’s most eminent statisticians”
13) interpreted
Meaning : explain the meaning of (information or actions)(v).
Synonyms : rendered
Antonyms : distorted
Example : “the evidence is difficult to interpret”
14) relevant
Meaning : closely connected or appropriate to what is being done or considered.
Synonyms : applicable
Antonyms : irrelevant
Example : “what small companies need is relevant advice”
15) caveat
Meaning : a warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations(n).
Synonyms : caution
Antonyms : consonance
Example : “there are a number of caveats which concern the validity of the assessment results”
16) regulations
Meaning : a rule or directive made and maintained by an authority.
Synonyms : orders
Antonyms : disorders
Example : “planning regulations”
17) confers
Meaning : grant (a title, degree, benefit, or right)(v).
Synonyms : consults
Antonyms : withdraws
Example : “the Minister may have exceeded the powers conferred on him by Parliament”
18) invoked
Meaning : cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument(v).
Synonyms : enforced
Antonyms : ignored
Example : “the antiquated defence of insanity is rarely invoked in England”
19) untenable
Meaning : (especially of a position or view) not able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection(adj).
Synonyms : invalid
Antonyms : arguable
Example : “this argument is clearly untenable”
20) advisory
Meaning : having or consisting in the power to make recommendations but not to take action enforcing them(adj).
Synonyms : consultative
Antonyms : uninformative
Example : “the Commission acts in an advisory capacity”
21) leashed
Meaning : put a leash on (a dog).
Synonyms : bridled
Antonyms : loose
Example : “he called Azor to heel so that he could leash him”
22) memoirs
Meaning : an essay on a learned subject.(n)
Synonyms : reminiscence
Example : “an important memoir on Carboniferous crustacea”
23) meddling
Meaning : interfere in something that is not one’s concern.
Synonyms : interfering
Antonyms : careless
Example : “I don’t want him meddling in our affairs”
24) invocation
Meaning : the action of invoking someone or something.
Synonyms : supplication
Antonyms : curse
Example : “his invocation of the ancient powers of Callanish”
25) precedent
Meaning : an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances.
Synonyms : preceding
Antonyms : after
Example : “there are substantial precedents for using interactive media in training”
26) ticklish
Meaning : (of a situation or problem) difficult or tricky and requiring careful handling.
Synonyms : delicate
Antonyms : easy
Example : “her skill in evading ticklish questions”
27) bestowed
Meaning : confer or present (an honour, right, or gift).
Synonyms : granted
Example : “the office was bestowed on him by the monarch of this realm”
28) afoul
Meaning : into conflict or difficulty with.
Synonyms : amiss
Antonyms : untangled
Example : “with its sails afoul“
29) precept
Meaning : a general rule intended to regulate behaviour or thought.
Synonyms : dictum
Antonyms : ambiguity
Example : “the legal precept of being innocent until proven guilty”
30) linen
Meaning : cloth woven from flax.
Synonyms : fabric
Example : “a linen suit”
31) conventions
Meaning : a way in which something is usually done.
Synonyms : ceremony
Antonyms : disagreements
Example : “to attract the best patrons the movie houses had to ape the conventions and the standards of theatres”
32) conflict
Meaning : be incompatible or at variance; clash.
Synonyms : dispute
Antonyms : harmony
Example : “parents’ and children’s interests sometimes conflict”
33) consistent
Meaning : acting or done in the same way over time, especially so as to be fair or accurate.
Synonyms : persistent
Antonyms : irregular
Example : “the parents are being consistent and firm in their reactions”
34) corporate
Meaning : relating to a large company or group.
Synonyms : joint
Antonyms : particular
Example : “airlines are very keen on their corporate identity”
35) livestock
Meaning : farm animals regarded as an asset.
Synonyms : cattle
Example : “markets for the trading of livestock”
36) rehabilitation
Meaning : the action of restoring someone to health or normal life through training and therapy after imprisonment, addiction, or illness(n).
Synonyms : renewal
Antonyms : decay
Example : “she underwent rehabilitation and was walking within three weeks”
37) intervention
Meaning : the action or process of intervening.
Synonyms : interference
Antonyms : affront
Example : “a high degree of state intervention in the economy”
38) compensation
Meaning : something, typically money, awarded to someone in recognition of loss, suffering, or injury.
Synonyms : recompense
Antonyms : fine
Example : “he is seeking compensation for injuries suffered at work”
