PARAGRAPH, WORDS AND MEANINGS
TOPIC OF THE DAY –
“Thoothukudi Firing: Entirely Preventable”
The protest against the copper smelter plant of Sterlite Copper in Thoothukudi has witnessed its deadliest turn so far, with the death of 12 people in police firing. It was clear the movement would put up a show of strength on May 22, the 100th day of this phase of protests — in fact, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had predictedthat it was “likely to trigger a law and order situation” and declared that the “protesters do not have any intention of conducting a peaceful protest”. Yet, the Tamil Nadu government failed to gauge the intensity of what was coming. It is a tragic irony that such an angry and violent demonstration could have been staged at a time when the plant is not operational and after the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board refused to renew its consent to operate. It raises questions about the government’s failure to drive this point home forcefully and casts a doubt about the real intentof some of the protesters, possibly a small section comprising hardline groups. The immediate task is to compensate the public for its losses and end the alienation of the affected communities through talks. But the commission of inquiry headed by retired judge Aruna Jagadeesan must examine why 12 lives were brutally snuffed out, more specifically, the chilling accusation that snipers were deployed by the police force to pick out protesters in a premeditated manner. Any police response must be commensurate with the gravity of the situation; there is no place for heavy-handedness and a disproportionate use of force. The inquiry must establish who gave the orders to fire and on what basis. Also, why the police failed to intervene well before the protest developed an angry head of steam. Sterlite stakes claim to be India’s largest copper producer and is a major presence in Tamil Nadu’s industrial mix. But it has had mixed fortunes over the two decades of its production, including periods when it was under administrative orders of closure, a ₹100-crore fine imposed for pollution by the injunction Supreme Court in 2013, and consistent opposition from fishermen. Now, there is a fresh and the Madras High Court has restrained it from a proposed capacity expansion plan. This, together with the decision to not renew consent for operation, gives a moment for pause for all sides. An urgent process, such as an all-party meeting, is needed to heal the wounds, and infuse confidence in the community. A credible environmental audit should be undertaken, without compromising on the ‘polluter pays’ principle. The TNPCB, which usually scores poorly on transparency, should commission credible experts to assess the quality of air and water in Thoothukudi. Only such verifiable measures will build public confidence and make orderly industrialisation viable.
WORDS AND MEANINGS –
1) Witnessed
Meaning: See (an event, typically a crime or accident) happen.
Example: “Staff who witnessed the murder”
Synonyms: See, Observe.
2) Put up
Meaning: Stay temporarily in accommodation other than one’s own home.
Example: “We put up at a hotel in the city centre”
3) Trigger
Meaning: Cause (a device) to function.
Example: “Burglars fled empty-handed after triggering the alarm”
Synonyms: Activate, Set off.
4) Gauge
Meaning: Judge or assess (a situation, mood, etc.).
Example: “She was unable to gauge his mood”
Synonyms: Assess, Evaluate.
5) Tragic
Meaning: Causing or characterized by extreme distress or sorrow.
Example: “The shooting was a tragic accident”
Synonyms: Disastrous, Calamitous.
6) Irony
Meaning: A state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often wryly amusing as a result.
Example: “The irony is that I thought he could help me”
Synonyms: Paradox, Paradoxical nature.
7) Consent
Meaning: Permission for something to happen or agreement to do something.
Example: “No change may be made without the consent of all the partners”
Synonyms: Agreement, Assent.
8) Cast
Meaning: Cause (uncertainty or disparagement) to be associated with something.
Example: “Journalists cast doubt on the government’s version of events”
9) Intent
Meaning: Intention or purpose.
Example: “With alarm she realized his intent”
Synonyms: Aim, Purpose.
10) Alienation
Meaning: The state or experience of being alienated.
Example: “A sense of alienation from our environment”
Synonyms: Isolation, Detachment.
11) Brutally
Meaning: In a savagely violent way.
Example: “He was imprisoned and brutally tortured”
12) Snuff out
Meaning: To end something:
Example: “There is concern that overfishing could snuff out some species”
13) Accusation
Meaning: A charge or claim that someone has done something illegal or wrong.
Example: “Accusations of bribery”
Synonyms: Allegation, Charge.
14) Sniper
Meaning: A person who shoots from a hiding place, especially accurately and at long range.
Example: “He was killed by a sniper’s bullet in the Great War”
15) Deploy
Meaning: Bring into effective action.
Example: “Small states can often deploy resources more freely”
Synonyms: Use, Utilize.
16) Premeditate
Meaning: Think out or plan (an action, especially a crime) beforehand.
Example: “Premeditated murder”
Synonyms: Planned, Intentional.
17) Commensurate
Meaning: Corresponding in size or degree; in proportion.
Example: “Salary will be commensurate with age and experience”
Synonyms: Equivalent, Equal.
18) Intervene
Meaning: Take part in something so as to prevent or alter a result or course of events.
Example: “He acted outside his authority when he intervened in the dispute”
Synonyms: Intercede, Involve oneself.
19) Fortunes
Meaning: Chance or luck as an arbitrary force affecting human affairs.
Example: “Some malicious act of fortune keeps them separate”
Synonyms: Chance, Accident.
20) Impose
Meaning: Force (an unwelcome decision or ruling) on someone.
Example: “The decision was theirs and was not imposed on them by others”
Synonyms: Fist, Force.
21) Injunction
Meaning: An authoritative warning or order.
Example: “The court has issued an injunction to prevent the airline from increasing its prices”
Synonyms: Order, Ruling.
22) Restrained
Meaning: Characterized by reserve or moderation; unemotional or dispassionate.
Example: “His restrained, gentlemanly voice”
Synonyms: Self-controlled, Controlled.
23) Heal
Meaning: Cause (a wound, injury, or person) to become sound or healthy again.
Example: “His concern is to heal sick people”
Synonyms: Make better, Make well.
24) Infuse
Meaning: Fill; Pervade.
Example: “Her work is infused with an anger born of pain and oppression”
25) Credible
Meaning: Able to be believed; convincing.
Example: “Few people found his story credible”
Synonyms: Acceptable, Trustworthy.
26) Viable
Meaning: Capable of working successfully; feasible.
Example: “The proposed investment was economically viable”
Synonyms: Workable, Feasible
