1. SCO calls for multipolar world order as Iran joins grouping

Indicating a lack of consensus, India stays out of statements on economic cooperation and on China’s Belt and Road Initiative, owing to projects in PoK; SCO calls for cooperation on digital payments and countering radicalisation

The formation of a “more representative” and multipolar world order is in the global interest, leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation said at a virtual summit chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

The grouping’s decision to induct Iran as its ninth and latest member was one of a number of agreements signed at the summit. However, India, who hosted the summit for the first time, refused to join other members on paragraphs relating to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the joint statement, and stayed out of a joint statement on SCO Economic Development Strategy 2030, indicating a lack of consensus in the grouping. Mr. Modi also took sharp aim at Pakistan for cross-border terrorism, and at China for connectivity projects that do not respect sovereign boundaries.

The SCO grouping now comprises China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The agreements signed include the New Delhi Declaration, outlining areas of cooperation between SCO countries; a joint statement on countering radicalisation; and one on digital transformation, where India offered to share expertise on digital payment interfaces. In a reference to sanctions on Russia and Iran, SCO members jointly criticised non-UN sanctions as “incompatible with the principles of international law”, which have a “negative impact” on other countries. SCO members also agreed to explore the use of “national currencies” for payments within the grouping, which would circumvent international dollar-based payments.

However, the declaration noted that only “interested member states” signed the economic strategy statement, while leaving India out of the paragraphs supporting China’s BRI. India opposes the BRI over its inclusion of projects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

“Better connectivity not only enhances mutual trade but also fosters mutual trust. However, in these efforts, it is essential to uphold the basic principles of the SCO charter, particularly respecting the sovereignty and regional integrity of the Member States,” Mr. Modi said.

2.

Court seeks minor wrestler’s reply on police closure report

Wrestlers Sangeeta Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat during a protest march in May. SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

Charge of sexual harassment withdrawn in fresh statement made to magistrate; so case under POCSO Act cannot be made against Brij Bhushan, the police cancellation report has said

A court here has sought a response from a minor wrestler on the Delhi Police’s closure report filed in the alleged sexual harassment case filed by her father against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The court of Additional Sessions Judge Chhavi Kapoor has directed the complainant — the girl’s father — to explain why the closure report filed by the police should not be accepted. The next date of hearing is August 1.

In the closure report, the police had cited the statements given by the minor to a magistrate under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. It has been reported that the victim had not supported the allegations made earlier in the FIR. Based on her statement to the magistrate, a case under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act cannot be made out against Brij Bhushan, so the case should be closed, the Delhi Police had said in the cancellation report of over 500 pages submitted in court on June 15.

An FIR against Mr. Singh was lodged on April 28, in which the minor wrestler had alleged that she was “sexually harassed” by the accused.

However, last month, the complainant had recorded fresh statements in the matter and withdrew the charge of sexual harassment.

‘False’ case

The father of the minor wrestler had told The Hindu that he deliberately filed “a false case against him due to anger”. He added that he was threatened by people whose names he couldn’t reveal and “his family is living in intense fear”.

Several Olympic and World Championships medal-winning wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sangeeta Phogat, had protested for months in New Delhi demanding the arrest of Mr. Singh for allegedly sexually harassing several women wrestlers, including a minor. The police only filed the FIRs against the accused BJP MP after the intervention of the Supreme Court last month.

Sensing a further delay in the investigation, the wrestlers threatened to immerse their medals in the Ganga. Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had later met the wrestlers and assured them full support and protection during the investigation. The protest was suspended on this assurance. Though the police have recommended that the case filed by the minor be closed, it has charged Mr. Singh with sexual harassment, stalking, and assault or force to outrage the modesty of a woman in the case of the other wrestlers.

3. Understanding leptospirosis, a disease that surges during the monsoon

1 of 2 Working barefoot in a flooded paddy field increases the risk of contracting leptospirosis. 

The disease has been called “ili jwara” in Kannada and “eli pani” in Malayalam, both meaning “rat fever”. This usage has fed a common belief that rats are the sole cause of the disease, which is not true. Leptospirosis has a spectrum of reservoir hosts, including pigs, cattle, water buffaloes, goats, dogs, horses and sheep

Leptospirosis has emerged as an important infectious disease in the world today. It is a potentially fatal zoonotic bacterial disease that tends to have large outbreaks after heavy rain or flooding.

The disease is more prevalent in warm, humid countries and in both urban and rural areas.

It affects an estimated 1.03 million people every year, killing around 60,000. The burden of leptospirosis is expected to increase in the future as the urban poor population in many tropical countries increases even as sanitary infrastructure falls short.

In India, thousands of people are affected by leptospirosis every year.

However, the numbers at the global and regional levels are not exact because of misdiagnosis (its symptoms mimic those of dengue, malaria, and hepatitis), limited access to reliable diagnostics, lack of awareness among treating physicians, and lack of environmental surveillance.

Within India, studies have found that leptospirosis is more common in the south, although this could be due to the region’s better healthcare and thus better disease detection.

What causes the disease?

The disease is caused by a bacterium called Leptospira interrogans, or leptospira. It is a contagious disease in animals but is occasionally transmitted to humans in certain environmental conditions.

The carriers of the disease can be either wild or domestic animals, including rodents, cattle, pigs, and dogs.

The cycle of disease transmission begins with the shedding of leptospira, usually in the urine of infected animals.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infected animals can continue to excrete the bacteria into their surroundings for a few months, but sometimes up to several years.

Which people are at risk?

Humans become part of the cycle when they come in direct contact with this urine or indirectly, through soil and water that contain leptospira bacteria. A person is more likely to contract leptospirosis if they have cuts or abrasions on their skin.

The disease is also considered an occupational hazard for people working in agricultural settings, with animals, or in sanitary services that bring them into contact with contaminated water.

Recreational activities in contaminated lakes and rivers are also reported to increase the risk of leptospirosis.

What are the symptoms?

The severity of a leptospirosis infection ranges from a mild flu-like illness to being life-threatening.

The infection can affect many organs, reflecting the systemic nature of the disease. This is also why the signs and symptoms of leptospirosis are often mistaken for other diseases.

In milder cases, patients could experience a sudden onset of fever, chills, and headache – or no symptoms at all. But in severe cases, the disease can be characterised by the dysfunction of multiple organs, including the liver, kidneys, lungs, and the brain.

Animals exhibit a variety of clinical symptoms and indications. In cattle and pigs, the disease can potentially cause reproductive failure, stillbirths, and weak calves or piglets. Dogs experience a range of symptoms, including fever, jaundice, vomiting, diarrhoea, renal failure, and even death.

What are the misconceptions?

Preventing leptospirosis requires appropriate and adequate health education, community health empowerment, and preventive habits.

The disease has been called “ili jwara” in Kannada and “eli pani” in Malayalam, both meaning “rat fever”. This usage has fed the common belief that rats are the sole cause of the disease, which is not true.

Leptospirosis has a spectrum of reservoir hosts, including pigs, cattle, water buffaloes, goats, dogs, horses, and sheep. Further, seasonal patterns such as the onset of the monsoon can also potentially facilitate the disease’s incidence and transmission.

Ambient air that is more humid can help the pathogenic leptospira survive longer in the environment, thus increasing the risk of disease exposure in the community.

The incidence of the disease is also linked to extreme weather events like floods and hurricanes, when people are exposed to contaminated water.

Similarly, poor waste management, a high density of stray animals, faulty drainage systems, and unhygienic sanitation facilities are major drivers of the disease in urban areas. In rural parts, these are contaminated paddy fields, dirty livestock shelters, and poor water-quality and sanitation.

Despite this complexity, the use of “rat fever” as a colloquial term for leptospirosis undermines a more holistic understanding of the disease’s causes.

If we are to protect people, we must use the correct terms, study the ecology of the disease and use the findings to inform healthcare policy, improve health literacy, and engage with people’s concerns.

Preventing leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis control can benefit from a ‘One Health’ approach. ‘One Health’ is an interdisciplinary approach that recognises the interconnections between the health of humans, animals, plants, and their shared environment.

People who frequently interact with animals or their urine should exercise particular caution, such as by wearing personal protective equipment like gloves and boots. The same goes for workers in flooded fields where there’s a chance of being exposed to contaminated water. They should take extra care if they have cuts or abrasions on their lower extremities.

Preventing animals from getting infected is also important to reduce the risk of leptospirosis spreading and to limit farmers’ economic losses (when the disease causes reproductive failures in pigs and cattle). This in turn requires sanitary animal-keeping conditions, which is also desirable to improve the animals’ health and to prevent the spread of many diseases. Given the spike in leptospirosis during the monsoons, it is best to take precautions, including washing one’s arms and legs with an antiseptic liquid after handling animal waste and after working in water.

In sum, with ‘One Health’ in mind, public health professionals must work closely with the animal husbandry department to familiarise people about the dangers of leptospirosis, and create countermeasures that work for the health of both people and animals.

Irfan shakeer is a Senior Research Associate and Iswarya Lakshmi is a Research Associate at Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bengaluru where they are associated with the IndiaZooRisk+ project (India-U.K. joint initiative).

THE GIST

Humans become part of the cycle when they come in direct contact with urine or indirectly, through soil and water that contain leptospira bacteria. A person is more likely to contract leptospirosis if they have cuts or abrasions on their skin

Animals exhibit a variety of clinical symptoms and indications. In cattle and pigs, the disease can potentially cause reproductive failure, stillbirths, and weak calves or piglets. Dogs experience a range of symptoms, including fever, jaundice, vomiting, diarrhoea, renal failure, and even death

Preventing animals from getting infected is also important to reduce the risk of leptospirosis spreading and to limit farmers’ economic losses. This in turn requires sanitary animal-keeping conditions, which is also desirable to improve the animals’ health and to prevent the spread of many diseases

4. Bunker-clearing exercise to begin in Manipur today

Manipur CM N. Biren Singh chairs a meeting with State Ministers and MLAs to discuss security matters in Imphal on Monday.PTI

Kuki groups say they will oppose the move as they are using the structures to defend their villages; in fresh violence, one killed during attempt to loot weapons from police camp in Thoubal

A day after Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said that bunkers set up in the hills and valley areas will be pulled down by security forces, a defence source said that all such structures will be removed in the next 10 days. The exercise will begin on Wednesday.

Mr. Singh said on Monday that the Army will lead the operations and will be joined by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).

Kuki groups said they will oppose any such attempt. On Tuesday, the representatives of Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) met GOC 3 Corps Lt. General H.S. Sahi in Churachandpur and told him that any move by the Army to destroy the bunkers will be faced with stiff resistance.

The rudimentary bunkers, varying from sandbags to tin boards, were set up by members of the Kuki and Meitei communities in areas where settlements of the two communities are adjacent to each other.

After the ethnic violence erupted in the State on May 3, buffer zones were created between the valley where the Meitei people live, and in the hills, where the Kuki people reside, to stop clashes. Central security forces and the Army are deployed in these zones.

Muan Tombing, general secretary of ITLF, said, “We are using these bunkers to defend our villages. We told the GOC that any attempt to remove the duty posts will be met with stiff resistance.”

More than 4,000 weapons and lakhs of ammunition have been looted from police camps in Manipur since May 3. While close to 1,150 weapons have been returned, many sophisticated weapons are still with the public. A government official said insurgent groups who have entered from Myanmar are using the stolen weapons to attack the civilians.

“The bunkers will be destroyed but disarming the civilians is also a priority. Despite repeated requests, the weapons have not been returned,” the official said.

On Monday, at a press conference, the Chief Minister asserted that there is information on people with possession of illegal arms in both hill and valley areas. He said that a mass frisking would be started.

Violence breaks out

One person was killed on Tuesday morning when security forces opened fire at a mob that attempted to loot weapons from a police camp in Thoubal district.

“One rioter was killed while a few others were injured during a failed attempt at the India Reserve Battalion at Khangabok in Thoubal”, the Army said.

“Mob had laid roadblocks to prevent movement of reinforcements. However, additional columns of Assam Rifles and Rapid Action Force were able to induct, and the situation was brought under control by synergised efforts of security forces,” the Army added.

In the process, “an Assam Rifles (AR) person sustained bullet injury in the leg while miscreants also torched one vehicle of AR,” a source said.

In the hill district of Churachandpur, the house of Seilen Haokip, the spokesperson of the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), was torched by unknown persons.

The KNO and United People’s Front (UPF), the umbrella group of the 24 Kuki insurgent groups in a Suspension of Operations pact with the government, announced on July 2 that the 60-day road blockade at Kangpokpi on National Highway 2 will be removed with immediate effect to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential commodities in the State.

Colonel Atul Kumar, Commander, 25 Border Road Task Force (BRTF), met Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Tuesday and apprised her regarding the progress of fencing along the Myanmar border.

A tweet by the Raj Bhavan said that the Governor advised the Commander “to get the work expedited mainly to contain the illegal activities in the border areas as well as sneaking of insurgents and anti-social elements into the State from neighbouring countries”.