Published on: July 15, 2024
Snippets : 15 JULY 2024
Snippets : 15 JULY 2024
- In a major move aimed at sustainable public transportation, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has announced plans to introduce 300 electric buses across the State. This initiative, part of a leasing arrangement, aims to enhance the efficiency and eco-friendliness of the intercity transport system
- Vasanti Shinde and Leonie Kung won the doubles title at the $75,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament in Rome, marking Shinde’s first professional doubles title and Kung’s 11th, while Carolyn Ansari and Gabriella Broadfoot triumphed in the $15,000 ITF women’s doubles final in Lakewood, USA
- The Asur community, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) residing in the Netarhat plateau region of Gumla, will soon benefit from the Forest Rights Act (FRA). This small Austro-Asiatic ethnic group, primarily located in Jharkhand’s Gumla, Lohardaga, Palamu, and Latehar districts, with some members in neighboring states, has a population of around 23,000 (2011 census). They speak the Asur language of the Munda family and are traditionally iron smelters, with a history of hunting, gathering, and shifting agriculture. Today, most Asurs are cultivators (91.19% as of 2011) and many also work in mining. Their unique iron-smelting technology ties them to the ancient Asuras and the fertility cult, with women singing songs likening the furnace to an expectant mother.
- Kharchi Puja is a significant festival in Tripura, celebrated during July-August on the eighth day of the new moon. It symbolizes the cleansing of sins (“Khar” meaning sin and “Chi” meaning cleaning). Led by the Royal priest ‘Chantai,’ it spans seven days at the ‘Chaturdasha Devata’ temple in old Agartala. The fourteen Gods, represented only by heads, are worshipped and bathed in the river Saidra, reflecting authentic Tripuri traditions.
- On 13th July 2024, Air Force Station Sarsawa commemorated ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas Rajat Jayanti’ to honor the 25th anniversary of India’s victory in the Kargil War. The event paid tribute to the brave Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel who displayed courage and sacrifice during Operation Safed Sagar.
- The second regional event of the year-long ‘Hamara Samvidhan Hamara Samman’ campaign will be held in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh on July 16, 2024. Organized under the DISHA scheme by the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, this event commemorates the 75th anniversary of India’s adoption of the Constitution
- NITI Aayog, in partnership with IIM Bangalore, Smart Freight Centre India, CALSTART/Drive to Zero, and WRI India, has launched the NITI GearShift Challenge under the e-FAST India initiative. This innovative hackathon aims to develop business models that promote the adoption of zero-emission trucks (ZETs) in India, addressing economic and environmental challenges. Participants from diverse backgrounds are invited to create solutions tackling technical, operational, and financial barriers in two rounds of submissions. With electric trucks offering a transformative opportunity to reduce emissions and improve air quality, the challenge seeks to accelerate sustainable freight transportation in India
- A study by the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) suggests that using wastewater in thermal plants in Ballari and Raichur can significantly reduce freshwater consumption. Residents in these areas receive less water than the government standard, while thermal power stations (TPS) in the region have high water demand. Past water shortages have led to TPS shutdowns, highlighting the need for reliable operations. The study advocates for using treated wastewater as a cost-effective and sustainable solution to meet the growing power and water demands due to urbanization. This approach can save costs, preserve freshwater for domestic use, and address future urban water and power needs sustainably.
- The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions has announced the rollout of the e-Office platform to streamline operations and enhance efficiency across 133 offices, with key components including the File Management System, Knowledge Management System, Work from Anywhere Portal, and Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window, implemented by the National Informatics Centre.
- The Centre is considering a cash transfer scheme for poor urban women to boost demand and consumption in urban areas, despite challenges in identifying beneficiaries and potential political ramifications, with plans likely involving the ‘e-shram’ portal and inputs from the Prime Minister’s Office.
- The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has issued guidelines for the sustainable harvest and trade of rosewood specimens, focusing on species in the genera Dalbergia, Afzelia, Khaya, and Pterocarpus, which are listed in Appendix II. During the 27th Plants Committee Meeting in July 2024, the Secretariat was instructed to emphasize capacity-building for these species. Key discussions included the high-threat status of Pterocarpus erinaceus (African rosewood), the importance of Non-Detriment Findings (NDFs) for sustainable trade, and a comprehensive report on rosewood species, detailing their conservation status and trade levels. CITES, adopted in 1973 and enforced in 1975, regulates international trade in over 38,000 species and is administered by UNEP in Geneva, Switzerland.
- After a year-long simulated Mars mission as part of the CHAPEA project, a NASA crew emerged from their 17,000 sq ft habitat at Johnson Space Centre on July 7, 2024. The mission, which started on June 25, 2023, included crew members Kelly Haston, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell, and Nathan Jones. The objectives were to conduct simulated “Marswalks,” manage resources by cultivating vegetables, and maintain physical and behavioral health under Mars-like conditions. Challenges included resource limitations, isolation, and communication delays. Research focused on the nutritional impact, sustainable living, and resource management, with findings aimed at supporting future Mars missions.
