Browsing by Author "Sarkar, Madhumita Dhar"

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Open Access
Damming the rivers of North Bengal: a socio-legal approach towards sustainable use of the river biodiversity
(University of North Bengal, 2022-09) Dutta, Soumya Pratik; Sarkar, Madhumita Dhar
North Bengal due to various perennial rivers is an ideal for hydro-power project plants. Dam building in India dates all the way back to the pre-Harappan era. India now has over 5100 major dams, according to the latest estimates from the Central Water Commission. Due to various developmental purposes the rivers of North Bengal in particular lost their natural flow. RoR hydropower plants are 'socially and environmentally benign,' and a useful mechanism to meet water demand. Reforming technocratic water and energy organizations is a very difficult task. To solve these concerns in the near term a stronger organizational framework for environmental and social governance is required and the guidelines need to be framed. Additionally, there is no legislative or administrative structure in place to ensure that evaluation, planning, judgement, economic evaluation, or environmental impact evaluations for the assessment the impact of dams on rivers. Proper planning and implementation are the need of the hour.
Open Access
Human Gene Editing and Its Inherent Conundrums: Legal Perspectives
(University of North Bengal, 2022-03) Sarkar, Madhumita Dhar; Mazumder, Belayet Hussain
Gene Editing, as a work of human ingenuity and innovation, opens up a vast range of possibilities for human existence in the future. While Gene Editing, on the surface, opens up the possibility of human perfection, it also raises a slew of ethical, philosophical, economic, and legal difficulties. From the standpoint of India’s commitment to ensuring an egalitarian society in which access to the fruits of science and technology is made available to both the rich and the poor, the prospect of Gene Editing raises deep and complex questions about the disparity in the capacity of the less resourceful to reap the benefits of this scientific advancement. The propriety of pushing such a disruptive technology - of men having the potential to fundamentally and dramatically alter nature’s systems of creation and sustenance - is also a factor in Gene Editing. Gene Editing also brings up the classic “Frankenstein” question: are we unleashing a beast beyond our control? Is it possible to get a global consensus on Gene Editing’s inherent limitations, if there are any? Because Gene Editing involves decrypting the fundamental building components of any human person, it raises the important question of whether such information should be made public, as well as the risks that come with it. Within its limited scope, this study makes a determined effort to address the aforementioned conundrums. It also attempts to provide a glimpse into the future that we are moving towards in terms of Human Gene Editing. While the scope of the various issues relating to Gene Editing is vast, the paper focuses primarily on the dimensions of Gene Editing’s economic perspective in India, its ethics, law, and scientific progress, informed consent and counselling in the domain of Gene Editing, and the need for transparency and accountability in the domain of Gene Editing.