Recently, the Government of India held a high-level interaction with the National Shipping Board (NSB) to discuss challenges facing the shipping sector. This development is important in the context of global maritime uncertainty, including disruptions in trade routes, rising logistics costs, and geopolitical tensions affecting shipping operations.

About the National Shipping Board

The National Shipping Board is a permanent statutory body established in 1959 under Section 4 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.

Being a statutory body means that it has been created through legislation and performs its functions as per the provisions of the law. It serves as a key advisory institution to the Government on issues related to shipping and maritime development.

Functions and Role

The primary role of the National Shipping Board is to advise the Government of India on matters related to the shipping sector.

Its functions include:

• Providing recommendations on the growth and development of the shipping industry

• Assisting in the formulation of maritime policies and strategies

• Suggesting measures to improve the efficiency, competitiveness, and sustainability of the shipping sector

• Addressing sectoral challenges such as infrastructure gaps, regulatory issues, and global disruptions

Over time, the Board has played a crucial role in shaping a balanced and pragmatic National Maritime Policy, contributing significantly to India’s maritime progress.

Composition of the Board

The National Shipping Board consists of a Chairman and multiple members, ensuring representation from different sectors.

Parliamentary Members

Six members are elected by Parliament:

• Four members from the Lok Sabha

• Two members from the Rajya Sabha

This ensures that the legislative perspective is included in maritime policymaking.

Nominated Members

In addition to elected members, the Central Government appoints other members (not exceeding sixteen) to represent:

• The Central Government

• Ship-owners

• Seamen

This diverse composition ensures that the Board reflects the interests of all key stakeholders in the maritime sector.

Tenure of Members

The Chairman and members of the National Shipping Board hold office for a period of two years.

This relatively short tenure allows for periodic review and renewal of membership, ensuring fresh perspectives and updated expertise in decision-making.

Nodal Ministry

The National Shipping Board operates under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

This ministry is responsible for the overall development of ports, shipping, and inland waterways in India, and it coordinates with the Board for policy advice and sectoral planning.

A recent study has highlighted the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) as an unexpected “eco-warrior” in Ethiopia’s second-largest city, Mekelle. The research shows that hyenas play an important ecological and sanitary role in urban environments by scavenging waste and helping reduce the spread of disease by consuming organic refuse and carcasses. This unusual adaptation reflects how wildlife can coexist with expanding urban spaces when natural habitats shrink.

About Spotted Hyena

The spotted hyena, also known as the laughing hyena, is one of the most well-known carnivores of Africa.

It is the largest member of the hyena family and is often mistaken for a dog due to its appearance, although it is more closely related to cats, civets, and genets. It has a robust, bear-like body, rounded ears, a spotted coat, and a distinctive sloping back. A unique biological feature is the presence of a pseudo-penis in females, making it one of the most unusual mammals in terms of reproductive anatomy.

Habitat and Distribution

The spotted hyena is highly adaptable and occupies a wide range of habitats. It is found in savannas, grasslands, dry woodlands, semi-deserts, tropical rainforests, mountainous regions, and even coastal zones.

Its primary distribution is across sub-Saharan Africa, including countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, South Sudan, Chad, Central African Republic, and parts of South Africa.

Behaviour and Characteristics

Spotted hyenas are mostly nocturnal and have excellent night vision, which helps them hunt and scavenge effectively during the night. During the day, they rest near dens in groups called clans.

They have a complex matriarchal social structure, where females dominate and an alpha female leads the clan. Hyenas communicate and mark territory using vocalisations, ground scratching, and secretions from anal glands.

They are both skilled hunters and efficient scavengers, playing a crucial role in ecosystems by cleaning up carrion and preventing disease spread.

Unique Biological Features

Spotted hyenas are among the most distinctive mammals anatomically. Females possess a pseudo-penis and lack an external vaginal opening, a rare trait in the animal kingdom. This unusual reproductive system has been widely studied in evolutionary biology.

Conservation Status

According to the IUCN Red List, the spotted hyena is currently classified as Least Concern, due to its wide distribution and relatively stable population across much of its range, although local threats such as habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict persist.

Conclusion

The recent findings from Ethiopia highlight the spotted hyena’s unexpected ecological value in urban ecosystems. Far from being merely scavengers, they function as natural waste managers, demonstrating how adaptable wildlife species can contribute to maintaining ecological balance even in rapidly urbanising landscapes.

Recently, the Kurumba painting tradition has been in the news due to concerns that this ancient tribal art form is facing the threat of extinction. The decline of this art is linked to the reduced practice among younger generations, lack of adequate livelihood support for artists, and increasing cultural and social changes in tribal regions.

About Kurumba Painting

Kurumba painting is a prehistoric tribal art form that is believed to be over 3,000 years old. It originates from the Kurumba tribal community, which is mainly found in the Nilgiri region across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.

Traditionally, this art was created on cave walls and rock surfaces in the high hills of the Nilgiris. It reflects the close relationship between the Kurumba people and their natural environment.

Raw Materials and Tools Used

Kurumba paintings are created using natural and forest-based materials. The artists prepare pigments from locally available resources, making the art environmentally sustainable.

Yellow and brown colours are obtained from Vengai tree resin, while green pigments are made from crushed leaves. Black colour is derived from tree bark or natural soot. The artists use simple tools such as fine twigs, bamboo sticks, and natural fibre brushes to create the paintings.

Design and Style

The Kurumba painting style is simple, symbolic, and minimalistic. It mainly uses dots, lines, and geometric shapes rather than detailed figures.

The paintings are traditionally made on walls coated with cow dung paste, which provides a smooth and durable base. Natural colours such as red, white, black, and green are used to create contrast and clarity in the designs.

Themes of Kurumba Paintings

The themes of Kurumba paintings are deeply connected to tribal life and spirituality. They commonly depict huts, animals, forests, and scenes from daily life.

These artworks also represent rituals, festivals, and spiritual beliefs of the Kurumba community. Overall, the paintings reflect their close bond with nature and their cultural traditions.

Cultural and Economic Significance

Kurumba paintings are an important part of the cultural identity of the Nilgiri tribal communities. They preserve ancient knowledge systems and traditional ways of life.

In recent times, these artworks have also been adapted into wall murals, cloth paintings, decorative panels, and handicrafts. This has provided some income opportunities to artisans, although it remains limited.

Concerns and Conservation Issues

The Kurumba painting tradition is now under threat due to a declining number of practising artists. Younger generations are moving away from traditional art forms due to limited economic returns.

In addition, lack of institutional support and reduced transmission of knowledge are contributing to the gradual disappearance of this cultural heritage.

Conclusion

Kurumba painting is a unique and ancient tribal art form that reflects the cultural richness of the Nilgiri region. Its decline highlights the urgent need for conservation efforts, including financial support for artists, cultural preservation initiatives, and wider promotion of tribal art forms

At the Bharat Climate Forum 2026, policymakers and system planners highlighted a major structural shift in India’s clean energy transition. India has already crossed 50% non-fossil fuel installed power capacity, marking a significant milestone. However, the main challenge is no longer insufficient generation capacity. Instead, transmission congestion and cautious grid operations have become the primary barriers to integrating renewable energy into the grid efficiently. As a result, thousands of megawatts of commissioned renewable energy remain stranded despite being fully ready for supply.

Grid Congestion and Transmission Bottlenecks

A major concern in India’s renewable energy expansion is the mismatch between generation growth and transmission infrastructure. Renewable capacity is expanding faster than evacuation capacity, leading to congestion in key renewable-rich states.

For example, Rajasthan has around 23 GW of renewable energy capacity but can evacuate only 18.9 GW. This results in more than 4,000 MW of commissioned capacity remaining unused during peak generation periods. Such congestion prevents efficient utilisation of existing renewable assets and slows down further expansion.

Inequitable Curtailment and T-GNA Issues

The current grid management system creates unequal treatment among generators during congestion. Under the Temporary General Network Access (T-GNA) mechanism, certain projects face complete shutdowns during peak constraints.

In contrast, if congestion were managed proportionately, all generators would experience a manageable reduction of around 15% rather than full curtailment for some projects. However, the present system disproportionately impacts newer developers operating under T-GNA, despite them meeting all regulatory and commissioning requirements in good faith. This creates financial uncertainty and weakens investor confidence in the sector.

Under-Utilisation of Existing Transmission Infrastructure

India’s transmission system also suffers from severe under-utilisation. High-capacity transmission corridors, such as 765 kV double-circuit lines designed to carry around 6,000 MW, are often operated at only 600–1,000 MW.

This indicates that while physical infrastructure exists, operational constraints prevent full utilisation. As a result, newly commissioned renewable energy projects remain connected to the grid but are unable to inject power consistently.

Disconnect Between Planning and Operations

A structural gap exists between transmission planning and real-time grid operations. The Central Transmission Utility of India (CTU) designs transmission corridors and allocates capacity based on projected full utilisation. However, Grid India, which manages system operations, often restricts actual power flow to much lower levels due to stability concerns.

This mismatch creates a credibility issue, as developers invest based on planned transmission capacity but face limitations in actual evacuation. The divergence between planning assumptions and operational reality undermines confidence in the system.

Operational Conservatism in Grid Management

Grid operators often adopt an overly cautious approach to ensure system stability. Concerns such as voltage oscillations and grid instability lead to restrictive control over renewable power injection.

Although modern mitigation technologies like STATCOMs, static VAR compensators, harmonic filters, and special protection schemes are already installed in many plants, they are not fully utilised to enhance grid flexibility. In addition, advanced operational tools such as dynamic security assessment, real-time contingency management, probabilistic risk evaluation, and adaptive line ratings are not yet widely implemented.

Lack of Institutional Accountability

There is limited accountability for inefficiencies in transmission planning and grid operations. While renewable developers face financial losses due to curtailment and stranded assets, grid operators and planning institutions do not face comparable performance-based consequences.

This imbalance ultimately increases costs for consumers, who bear the burden of under-utilised infrastructure through electricity tariffs.

Energy Storage Deficit

India’s renewable energy system also faces a significant shortage of energy storage capacity. Large-scale deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Pumped Hydro Storage (PHS) is essential to manage variability in solar and wind generation.

India is estimated to require around 411 GWh of energy storage by 2032 to ensure grid stability when renewable generation fluctuates. However, current deployment levels remain far below this requirement, limiting the flexibility of the power system.

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities

The renewable energy sector is also exposed to global supply chain risks. India remains heavily dependent on imports of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements, as well as components required for solar cells and battery manufacturing.

This dependence makes the sector vulnerable to international price volatility, geopolitical disruptions, and supply shortages.

India’s Renewable Energy Sector: Current Status

India has achieved a major milestone by surpassing 50% of its installed power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources, thereby meeting its COP-26 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target ahead of schedule.

As of November 2025, India’s non-fossil fuel installed capacity stood at 262.74 GW, accounting for 51.5% of total installed capacity. Solar energy remains the dominant contributor, with 132.85 GW of capacity, followed by wind energy at 53.99 GW. According to global rankings, India is among the top three countries in solar capacity and among the top four in both wind and total renewable energy capacity.

Key Government Initiatives

Several initiatives are supporting India’s renewable energy expansion. The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana has significantly boosted rooftop solar adoption. The National Green Hydrogen Mission aims to produce 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030.

The Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) promotes domestic manufacturing of solar components while ensuring quality standards. The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme further strengthens manufacturing capacity.

Off-grid electrification initiatives under PM JANMAN and DA JGUA support tribal and remote communities through solar-based solutions. In addition, the National Policy on Geothermal Energy (2025), viability gap funding for offshore wind, and international cooperation through the International Solar Alliance further support India’s clean energy transition.

Measures to Resolve Grid Challenges

To address these challenges, several reforms are required. The mandate of Grid India must be redefined to balance reliability with efficient utilisation of transmission infrastructure. Curtailment during congestion should be distributed equitably across all generators rather than disproportionately affecting T-GNA projects.

Dynamic reallocation of unused transmission capacity must be introduced through transparent real-time systems. Advanced grid management tools such as dynamic security assessment and adaptive line ratings should be widely adopted.

Better coordination between the Central Transmission Utility of India and Grid India is essential to ensure that planned transmission capacity translates into actual usable evacuation capability.

Conclusion

India’s renewable energy transition has reached a critical stage where generation capacity is no longer the primary constraint. Instead, transmission efficiency, operational flexibility, and storage infrastructure have become the key determinants of progress. Aligning planning with real-time operations and scaling up energy storage is essential to prevent stranded assets and achieve India’s Net Zero 2070 target.

The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) enjoys strong constitutional protection to ensure the independence of the Election Commission of India. Under Article 324(5) of the Constitution, the tenure and service conditions of the CEC are determined by the President of India, subject to any law made by Parliament.

The Constitution ensures that the CEC cannot be removed arbitrarily. The CEC can only be removed in the same manner and on the same grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court. Additionally, their service conditions cannot be changed to their disadvantage after appointment, ensuring security of tenure and institutional independence.

Other Election Commissioners or Regional Commissioners enjoy slightly lower protection, as they can be removed only on the recommendation of the CEC.

Grounds for Removal

The CEC can be removed only on very limited constitutional grounds, which are:

• Proved misbehaviour, or

• Incapacity

These are the same grounds applicable for the removal of a Supreme Court Judge. The Constitution does not permit removal on political or discretionary grounds, which ensures independence of the office.

It is important to note that although the term “impeachment” is often used in public discourse, it is technically incorrect. The Constitution uses the term “removal”, while “impeachment” is reserved only for the President of India under Article 61.

Procedure for Removal

The procedure for removal of the CEC is quasi-judicial in nature and is broadly governed by the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.

(a) Initiation of Motion

A removal motion can be introduced in either House of Parliament. It must be supported by:

• At least 100 members of the Lok Sabha, or

• At least 50 members of the Rajya Sabha

The motion is submitted to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha or the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, depending on where it is introduced.

(b) Admission and Inquiry

The Presiding Officer (Speaker/Chairman) has the discretion to admit or reject the motion. If admitted, a three-member inquiry committee is constituted. This committee typically includes:

• A Judge of the Supreme Court

• The Chief Justice of a High Court

• A distinguished jurist

The committee examines the charges, and the CEC is given a fair opportunity to defend themselves.

(c) Committee Report

After investigation:

• If the charges are not proved, the motion is rejected and the process ends.

• If the charges are proved, the report is submitted to the House where the motion originated.

(d) Parliamentary Approval

To succeed, the motion must be passed in both Houses of Parliament by a special majority, which requires:

• A majority of the total membership of the House, and

• A majority of not less than two-thirds of members present and voting

Both Houses must pass the motion in the same session.

(e) Final Removal by the President

If the motion is successfully passed by Parliament, it is presented to the President of India. The President then issues the formal order for removal of the Chief Election Commissioner.

Conclusion

The removal process of the Chief Election Commissioner is deliberately made difficult and highly structured to protect the independence of the Election Commission. By requiring a quasi-judicial inquiry, special parliamentary majority, and presidential approval, the Constitution ensures that the CEC cannot be removed on political grounds and only for proven misconduct or incapacity.