Dhaka Sitting on a Plastic Bomb: Issues and Concerns around Waste Governance, Water Quality, and Public Health

Plastic, an offer of modernity, has become one of the essential parts of our everyday life. However, it is presenting a massive threat in altered forms, to our health and environment. Plastic does not only pollute the surface environment, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, but toxic elements released from plastics also percolate down the surface and contaminate groundwater, which we often use as ‘safe’ drinking water. This probable future risk is deeply rooted in the entire governance infrastructure of plastic waste which could potentially lead to contamination of groundwater. Thus, a state-sponsored ‘safe drinking water’ initiative could contrarily produce a ‘risk society’. A recent study finds 81% of tap water samples collected worldwide contained plastic pollutants, which means that annually we may be ingesting between 3000 and 4000 microparticles of plastic from tap water. Based on review, ethnographic observations and interviews, and lived experience in a plastic-wrapped city (Dhaka), this paper sheds light on the complex interface of plastic, water, and public health, on the relevance of Beck’s ‘risk society’ to understand this complexity, and on replicating the idea of ‘risk society’ in the case of Bangladesh. Through understanding the plastic–groundwater–waste management nexus, this paper highlights and advocates for a new strategy of plastic governance in modern states.

Enhancing the Security and Performance of Cloud for E-Governance Infrastructure

E-Governance is getting momentous in India. Over the years, e-Governance has played a major part in every sphere of the economy. In this paper, we have proposed E-MODI (E-governance model for open distributed infrastructure) a centralized e-Governance system for government of India, the implementation of this system is technically based on open distributed infrastructure which comprises of various government bodies in one single centralized unit. Our proposed model identifies three different patterns of cloud computing which are DGC, SGC and CGC. In addition, readiness assessment of the services needs to migrate into cloud. In this paper, we propose energy efficient VM allocation algorithm to achieve higher energy efficiency in large scale cloud data centers when system on optimum mode. Our objectives have been explained in details and experiments were designed to demonstrate the robustness of the multi-layered security which is an integration of High secure lightweight block cipher CSL along with Ultra powerful BLAKE3 hashing function in order to maintain information security triad.

Exploring the Determinants Attractiveness to Foreign Direct Investments: Do Public Governance, Infrastructure and Macroeconomic Policies Matter?

The aim of this paper is to determine the factors that attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) to Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) and Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Countries (SEMCs). To this end, this paper tested three variables representing public governance, physical infrastructure and macroeconomic quality, over a ten-year period stretching from 2008 to 2017. The results of the regressions estimated on CEE countries show that entrepreneurs are attracted to this region mainly for governance and infrastructure quality. Macroeconomic policy variables seem to attract less FDIs to these countries. Using aggregated  variables, the results of the regressions estimated on SEMCs show that the governance variable becomes statistically significant but retains a low value. The other variables of physical infrastructure and macroeconomic policies seem to be more robust and better explain FDI inflows to this region.

Analysis for policy to overcome barriers to reducing the prevalence of vitamin a deficiency among children (15–23 months) in Iran

Background About 30% of children < 5 years old are estimated to experience vitamin A deficiency worldwide. Globally, vitamin A deficiency can be reduced by five major interventions: supplementation, dietary modification, fortification, promotion of both public health, and breastfeeding. This prospective policy analysis (Prospective policy analysis focuses on the future outcomes of a proposed policy. Adapted from Patton, CV, and Sawicki DS. Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning, Prentice-Hall, Inc. New Jersey,1993). (Patton A, Carl V, and David S. Basic methods of policy analysis and planning, prentice-hall, 3th ed. 2012) aimed to identify evidence-based policy options to minimize prevalence (VAD) among 15–23 months-children in Iran. Methods Thirty-eight semi-structured face-to-face interviews were held with experts at high, middle, and low managerial levels in Iran’s health system, as well as at Schools of Nutrition Sciences and dietetics, using purposive and snowball sampling. All interviews were recorded by a digital voice recorder and then transcribed, codified, and eventually analyzed using a mixed approach (inductive-deductive) by MAXQDA software version 10. Results Most policies related to VAD reduction in this age group are supplementation, expansion of education, and awareness. Three main factors affecting VAD reduction policies emerged from the analysis: basic factors (governance, infrastructure, and organization), underlying factors (social factors, economy), and immediate factors (services). Due to its cross-sectoral nature, evaluating the results of the implementation of this policy requires strong and coherent inter-sectoral cooperation. The existing primary healthcare network (PHC) is a crucial means for successful implementation of policies to address VAD in Iran. Conclusions In addition to supplementation and assistance in this age group, other policies should be also planned to reduce VAD in various regions. In addition to the Ministry of Health & Medical Education (MoHME), other actors need to be involved, we advocate, throughout the entire policymaking process of policy-making to reduce VAD in Iran.

The challenges of China–India comparative urban studies

Scholarship on urban China and urban India has been prolific. Studies have separately addressed urban processes of migration, spatial transformation, governance, infrastructure, land conflicts, policing, and more. However, research on these areas has rarely intersected. This article discusses the challenges of comparison in China–India urban studies, and examines recent works through an analysis of “styles and scales of comparison.” Some seek to explain national-level variations by studying selected cities in each country. Others identify convergence and divergence in the context of broader global processes, and some incorporate historical trajectories to structure a temporal comparison. Because the most rapid periods of urbanization in the first half of the twenty-first century will take place in India and China and will soon account almost half of the planet's urban population, studies of urbanization in India and China are of great importance. Careful reflection on the study of urbanization in China–India studies can also re-center urban studies away from the historically dominant American/Eurocentric perspectives.

Digital transformation of urban governance in China: The emergence and evolution of smart cities

This research article contributes to the field of digital governance as it reviews the conceptual definition and practical application of “smart cities” in the context of urban development in China. By analyzing both firsthand interview data and secondary statistical and policy reports during the period between 2009 to 2019, we contend that the emergence of smart cities in China has evolved from a disorderly process to a more standardized one. During this process, cities made efforts to use digital technology — such as 5G, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things — in social governance, infrastructure, and industrial development. However, such rapid development also spawned a series of emerging legal issues, which had a huge impact on China’s legal system. The article seeks to holistically examine the discourse surrounding the concept of a “smart city” and its practical implementation by drawing attention to its promises as well as criticisms. The article also touches upon the challenges — such as “information islands” in construction, technology, and management — that confront the emerging smart cities, and emphasizes China’s need to further improve laws and regulations, build an integrated legal system, explore new regulation methods, shape a highly autonomous and refined governance order, and provide legal protection for the development of smart cities. The paper concludes by mentioning possible areas for further research to find a developmental path for “smart cities” that can realize resource integration and sharing.

Stakeholder Perspectives on Infant Formula Safety Governance in China: A Decade after the Melamine Crisis

This paper critically engages with dynamics of the Chinese food safety governance infrastructure following the melamine crisis. It presents a qualitative analysis of sixteen in-depth stakeholder interviews in Hunan, Hubei and Henan. We reveal tensions between a segmented model of governance and a centralised model, between a centralised top-down model and stakeholder participation, and between a public model and a private, decentral market where corporate reputation must result in transparency and trust. Stakeholders also see gaps between ideals of inclusive, transparent and participatory governance, and effective problem-solving. Governance of food safety in China, even when targeting inclusion and public accountability, remains heavily dependent on the central state as a pivotal actor.

Inter-Agency Delivery System

This paper examines the effect of inter-agency delivery systems on the agility of public sector organizations and ease of doing business. The empirical focus is the Nigerian public sector, in relation to the implications of the recent Executive Order regarding how Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDAs) should operate towards improving the ease of doing business .The study finds that poor inter-organizational linkages in terms of Information and Communication Technology, ICT, and poor interagency collaborative structures constitute serious challenges to the realization of organizational agility and ease of doing business. The paper suggests further investment in establishing a comprehensive government database accessible by various government agencies and enhancing social networking among public agencies through strong ICT and e-governance infrastructure development. By implication, the study reveals that the use of Executive Orders to address fundamental economic and administrative challenges appears perfunctory and superficial without strong ICT support.