The Struggle Is Real
Job Board + Shutdowns + Tesla in India + Volcanic Eruption
Hello, hope you are having a great weekend. This week we talk about the top jobs, a volcanic eruption in Tonga, internet shutdowns & Tesla.
Top Jobs of the Week
Communications and Development Intern, Carnegie India
Apply- https://carnegieendowment.applicantpro.com/jobs/2181708.html
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes Internship Program
Apply at: http://ncstgrams.gov.in/public/internshipapplication.aspx
Research Associate, Centre for Equity Studies
Apply- send your resume- researchteam.ces@gmail.com
State Consultant- Policy and Practice, Sightsavers India
Apply- send your resume at- ssitaterecruitments@gmail.com
The Practice of Internet Shutdowns- Good or Bad?
With more than 13000 hours of Internet shutdown in 2019 & 2020, India has come to be known as the ‘Internet Shutdown capital of the world’. As the pandemic forced every sector to go digital, the disruption of internet services even for a day had a severe impact on the economy, lives and livelihoods.
It was further witnessed in a report published by UK-based privacy and security research firm, Top10VPN. The report measured the economic impact of every major internet shutdown in 2021 across the globe.
The Global Trend
As per the report, internet shutdowns around the world grew over 30,000 hours in 2021, costing the global economy $5.45 billion (Rs. 40,300 crores).
India-
India emerged among the top-three affected countries in the world with a loss of $2.8 billion and a total of 8,927 hours of the internet shutdown.
An Interesting Fact: The economic impact seen in India was more than double the combined cost for the next 20 countries on the list.
The worst-hit State and now the Union Territory
The longest internet shutdown in a democracy happened in Kashmir from August 2019 to March 2020. As per the report, the restrictions impacted the flow of the economy- distribution of medicine, businesses, schools and colleges.
(Sources: Indian Express, CNBC, NDTV)
The Hustle Bustle around Tesla in Indian Market
Recently, Elon Musk, co-founder and CEO of electric car maker Tesla & rocket manufacturer SpaceX took to Twitter to respond to a Twitter user in its prospects of entering the Indian market and the challenges it has been facing.
The Indian Plan of Action
Tesla had to enter the Indian market in 2019 but the plan has been put on hold because of the exorbitant import duties on electric vehicles. India levies a 60% import tax on electric vehicles priced $40,000 or less and 100% on those priced above $40,000. However, Tesla cars start at $44,690 (approx. Rs34 lakh) in the US, and selling cars in India with 100 per cent import taxes would mean shelling out around Rs 60 lakh for a car.
What do the Indian Government & the competitors want?
The Indian Government's perspective:
The Indian government wants Tesla to produce its vehicles in the country if it doesn't want to pay import duty, as it has been doing in China.
Point of view of Indian competitors:
Mahindra & Mahindra opposed Tesla’s request for slashing duties, arguing that it would not be good for investments in domestic manufacturing.
India has the highest import duty, but why?
The highest import duty in the whole world collected on foreign vehicles is in India and that is 100%. However, the import duty in USA and China is around 15%. The purpose is to protect the interests of companies producing vehicles in India and foreign companies who manufacture their vehicles in India.
August 2021 meeting-
In August 2021, Tesla executives & its Head of Policy in India discussed the company’s demands about reducing the taxes which were exorbitantly high. During the meeting, Tesla said that India's duty structure would not make its business in the country a "viable proposition".
Different states have reached out to Tesla-
Tesla’s challenges with the Government of India led to invitations from three states.
KT Rama Rao, Telangana’s Industry and Commerce Minister:
Navjot Singh Sidhu, Punjab Congress chief :
Jayant Patil, Maharashtra Water Resources Minister:
Calamity in the South Pacific Ocean
On 15th January 2022, an undersea volcano ‘Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai’ erupted 40 miles north of Tonga’s main island. The region had witnessed irregular activities around the volcano in the past years.
The impact in the region:
It was reported, that due to the eruption and the Tsunami following it international communication was disrupted and approximately 80,000 people were affected.
As per Shane Cronin, Volcanologist, there are chances for acid rain to occur in the region.
Tonga Geological Services has also warned that nearby seawater is contaminated with toxic volcanic discharge.
Falling ash from the volcano can also degrade coral reefs, which has been a key player in the tourism industry.
The impact at Global the level
The eruption led to the debris collapsing on the ocean floor and triggering a tsunami that lashed Pacific coastlines from Japan to the United States.
The eruption had a longing and dynamic impact across the world as the soundwaves travelled to regions like New Zealand and Alaska. Even Chennai witnessed a sharp rise in atmospheric pressure as the incident took place.
(Sources: CNN, Indian Express, Deccan Herald, Reuters)
What else is happening?
As per the World Meteorological Organisation, 2021 was one of the warmest years on earth in seven years. and there will be more extreme heat events this year.
US, Russia, China, UK and France have agreed that “a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought”. They signed a joint pledge on 17th January 2022 which was recognised by the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
On 20th January 2022, the UK government revealed plans for two nature recovery schemes for which the farmers will be paid to create wildlife habitats, restore waterways and protect threatened species.
Preet Chandi (Polar Preet) a British Army physiotherapist has become the first known woman of colour to complete a solo trek to the South Pole. She skied 700 miles across Antarctica in 40 days, seven hours and three minutes, setting off on 21 November.
