Published on: December 24, 2024
Snippets : 24 DECEMBER 2024
Snippets : 24 DECEMBER 2024
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch the PSLV-C60 SpaDeX mission by the end of this month from Sriharikota. This mission will carry 24 PS4-Orbital Experiment Module (POEM-4) payloads, with four of them developed by Karnataka-based academia and start-ups. These include RVSat-1, developed by R.V. College of Engineering, Bengaluru, which focuses on microbiological experiments in microgravity to study the growth of gut bacteria in space and its applications in astronaut health and bioremediation. The BGS ARPIT Payload from SJC Institute of Technology, Chickballapur, is a multimode message transmitter, aimed at providing global amateur radio satellite services. Bellatrix Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. has developed the RUDRA 1.0 HPGP Payload, which demonstrates a high-performance green propulsion system, while GalaxEye Space Solutions Pvt. Ltd. has created the GLX-SQ Payload to demonstrate Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging in space. In addition to these, the PSLV-C60 mission will also carry additional payloads, including India’s first space robotic manipulator, the Walking Robotic Arm (RRM-TD), and the Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies (CROPS), which aims to demonstrate plant growth in extraterrestrial environments.
- The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reimposed the Protected Area Regime (PAR) in Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram on December 17, 2024, due to growing security concerns in these border states. The decision requires foreigners to obtain prior approval and Protected Area Permits (PAP) to visit these regions. The Protected Area Regime (PAR) restricts foreigners’ entry and movement in certain areas, particularly border states, unless they have the necessary government permission. The Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, mandates that foreign nationals must obtain a permit to enter these protected areas, including details about the place of entry, residence, and duration of stay. Initially, the PAR was relaxed in 2010 to boost tourism, but increasing ethnic violence in Manipur, the influx of refugees from Myanmar, and the suspension of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) led to the re-imposition of these restrictions. Foreigners now must apply for PAPs through various channels and register with local authorities upon arrival, with special provisions for nationals from certain countries like Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan.
- The Union government has scrapped the ‘no-detention’ policy for students in classes 5 and 8, as per the amended Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2019. Under the new rules notified by the Ministry of Education, schools can now fail students in these classes. As part of the revised rules, students who fail must be provided specialized inputs and given a re-examination opportunity within two months. If they fail the re-examination, they will be held back in the same class, although no child will be expelled until they complete elementary education. The decision to scrap the policy was driven by feedback indicating that the ‘no-detention’ policy left students underprepared and contributed to higher failure rates in class 10. Following amendments to the RTE Act, which allowed states and the Centre to decide whether to retain the policy, 16 states and Union Territories (UTs) opted out, with Karnataka abolishing it in 2022.
- The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, released on December 21, 2023, by Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, presents the findings from the Forest Survey of India (FSI), which assesses the country’s forest and tree resources every two years using satellite data and national inventories. The report reveals that the total forest and tree cover in India is 827,357 sq km, covering 25.17% of the country’s geographical area, with 715,343 sq km dedicated to forest cover and 112,014 sq km to tree cover. From 2021, India has seen a 1,445 sq km increase in forest and tree cover, with notable contributions from Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha. Mizoram, Gujarat, and Odisha topped the list for forest cover increases. Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Maharashtra are the states with the largest forest and tree cover, while Lakshadweep, Mizoram, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands lead in forest cover percentage. Additional findings include a significant growth in mangrove cover, bamboo-bearing area, and carbon stock, with India surpassing its 2030 carbon stock target by 2.29 billion tonnes.
- The Union Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav recently inaugurated advanced wildlife and pashmina certification facilities at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in Dehradun, marking a significant step in wildlife conservation and the promotion of traditional handicrafts. The Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) facility, a cutting-edge technology for decoding genomes, will aid in wildlife conservation by analyzing genetic diversity, understanding evolutionary relationships, and addressing illegal wildlife trade, while also helping assess the impact of climate change on biodiversity. The Pashmina Certification facility, established under a Public-Private Partnership between WII and the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), aims to authenticate pashmina fiber using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with EDS, providing unique IDs and e-certificates to ensure traceability. This initiative supports artisans in Jammu and Kashmir, enhances global trade credibility, and discourages illegal practices, such as the use of Shahtoosh. It aligns with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative by fostering self-reliance, generating revenue, and creating employment opportunities while contributing to wildlife conservation by discouraging illegal fiber trade and protecting the Tibetan antelope habitat.
- A mysterious illness known locally as “Dinga Dinga” has been wreaking havoc in Uganda, predominantly affecting women and girls with symptoms including fever, excessive body shaking, and in severe cases, paralysis, severely impairing mobility. Despite efforts to identify the cause, health experts remain baffled, and the illness is being treated with antibiotics, with symptoms characterized by uncontrollable body shaking, extreme weakness, and paralysis-like immobility, earning it the nickname “Dinga Dinga”, meaning “shaking like dancing”
- Karnataka’s government has approved nine industrial projects worth Rs 9,823.31 crore, expected to generate 5,605 jobs, with three new projects including the state’s first semiconductor project at Kochanahalli, Mysuru, worth Rs 3,425.60 crore, creating 460 jobs.Other approved projects include DN Solutions India Pvt Ltd’s Rs 998 crore investment at the ITIR, Devanahalli, expected to create 467 jobs, and Sansera Engineering Ltd’s Rs 2,150 crore project at Harohalli, estimated to create 3,500 jobs. The government also urged investors to operationalise their units within prescribed timelines, cautioning penalties for non-compliance, and approved a new data centre in Bengaluru to bolster digital infrastructure.
- After two years of effort, the Karnataka Forest Department is set to operationalise a wildlife forensic lab in Bengaluru, located at the State Forensic Science Laboratory in Madiwala, at a cost of ₹3 crore. This long-awaited facility, approved last year, aims to expedite the resolution of wildlife crimes and conflict cases by providing quick DNA test results, addressing an average of 400 cases registered annually in Karnataka, ranging from the illegal sale of wildlife as pets to trafficking of parts like tusks, tiger skins, and pangolin scales. Previously, reliance on external labs delayed DNA results by weeks or months, but the new lab will deliver results in days, enhancing prosecution rates and evidence quality in court. Over two years, the department has developed infrastructure and collected DNA samples for Schedule I and II species while identifying challenges like contaminated samples from mishandling, such as in the Nelamangala leopard case, highlighting the need for training officers on proper sample collection and site management. Additionally, the lab will assist in conflict cases by verifying captured animals against DNA evidence, ensuring accurate resolutions. Expected to launch within two months in collaboration with the police, the lab represents a crucial step in combating wildlife crime and protecting biodiversity in the state.
- Shyam Benegal, the master of parallel cinema whose iconic works ‘Ankur’, ‘Nishant’ and ‘Manthan’ left an indelible mark on Indian filmmaking, passed away at the age of 90 in Mumbai
- Manipur rode on Asem Roja Devi’s 55th-minute strike against Odisha in the final to retain the senior women’s National football championship, for the Rajmata Jijabai Trophy, in Narainpur (Chhattisgarh)
- A speed gun is a non-contact device that measures an object’s speed by emitting electromagnetic radiation, capturing the reflection, and using the Doppler effect to infer speed.
