Daily Briefing: Supreme Court expresses ‘extreme concern’ over delay in transfer of HC judges; Uttarakhand CM Dhami to visit Joshimath today; and more

1) The Supreme Court Friday expressed “extreme concern” over 10 recommendations for transfer of HC judges pending with the government and said “keeping it pending sends a very wrong signal that other factors are coming into play”. The government, meanwhile, assured the court that “all efforts are being made to conform to timelines” set by the top court to this regard.

2) Days after roads and over 560 houses in Joshimath, located at a height of 6,000 feet in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, developed cracks due to land subsidence, triggering panic and protests among locals, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami Friday issued key directions to the officials to help the victims.

🔴 The directions included ensuring temporary rehabilitation centres at safe locations; aid camps and medical facilities, including facilities for airlift operations; evacuating danger zones; activating the disaster control room immediately; and drawing up drainage plans in less-affected areas.

🔴 The Chief Minister is set to visit Joshimath, which falls in high-risk seismic Zone-V, today. According to data provided by the Chamoli administration, 561 houses in different areas of the town have developed cracks.

3) In her column this week, Neerja Chowdhury writes on why it’s not possible for any party to address a changing, aspirational India without better governance — and without a deepening of democracy. While experts are beginning to see the advantage of linking aspirations to social sector programming, what about politics, Chowdhury asks. “How will parties in India respond to — and galvanise — this new energy?”

4) The Centre is set to open the door for foreign universities to set up campuses in India, pushing through an ambitious proposal that has run into political roadblocks in the past. But, what are the draft regulations announced by UGC and how do they differ from earlier proposals? What safeguards have been incorporated? We explain

5) While internationalisation of Indian higher education is a salient feature of NEP-2020, the draft regulations of the UGC that pave the way for the entry of foreign universities is a significant change as well. Anamika, an associate professor of Education at IILM University, goes in-depth in our Opinion section today on how the entry of foreign varsities is a long step forward for higher education in India and what challenges await this move.

6) An Indian bridge player has gained the undesirable distinction of becoming the first from the country to test positive for a banned substance — an incident that is being described as an “eye-opener” for a sport where making an international debut at 60 isn’t uncommon. Arvind Vaidya has been banned for two years after testing positive for a diuretic which is a masking agent (chlortalidone). Sources close to Vaidya, 58, said it was his high BP tablet that landed him in trouble.

Before you go, check out our Express Quiz and see if you can guess the answer to this question:-

🔴 The European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer will launch this year, flying past 3 of the planet’s 80 moons. What is this mission’s official nickname, aptly given since the moons it will study (Europa, Ganymede and Callisto) have oceans? You may also know the answer as a 2019 hit by the singer Lizzo. 

By the way, it’s a 5-letter word…

Until next time,

Anandu Suresh