Published on: January 9, 2025
Snippets : 9 JANUARY 2025
Snippets : 9 JANUARY 2025
- Amid increasing leopard-human conflicts, a Rs 70-crore state-of-the-art Leopard Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre is proposed in Mysuru, designed to accommodate 100 leopards, making it the largest in India. Located on 92 acres in the Yelawal Residency Compound Sandal Plantation, it aims to enhance the survival rate of injured leopards by providing advanced veterinary facilities, mobile rescue units, and rehabilitation infrastructure. The centre will serve as a hub for treating rescued leopards, housing permanently disabled animals, and rewilding fit leopards after observation. Proximity to Bandipur, Nagarahole, and BRT Tiger Reserves enhances its strategic importance. Karnataka, which rescues over 250 leopards annually, currently relies on limited facilities such as Bannerghatta Rescue Centre, which is 150 km away. Features include a veterinary hospital, forensic centre, and awareness initiatives for communities to reduce conflicts. Compared to existing facilities like Gir National Park in Gujarat (50 leopards), the proposed centre addresses critical challenges like injury management, data collection on interactions, and community trust-building, offering long-term benefits for wildlife conservation and human coexistence.
- The Supreme Court reaffirmed that the right to appeal against a conviction is integral to the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution. Referencing Dilip S. Dahanukar vs Kotak Mahindra Co. Ltd. (2007), the Court recognized the right to appeal as a statutory and fundamental right under Article 21, expanding its interpretation to include access to justice. In Rajendra vs State of Rajasthan (1982), it emphasized that courts must evaluate delays in filing appeals rather than dismissing them outright. Recently, the Supreme Court condoned a 1,637-day delay and restored an appeal dismissed by a High Court on technical grounds, critiquing the lack of substantive review. The judgment highlighted that procedural fairness is essential to safeguard individual liberty, prevent miscarriages of justice, and ensure that courts prioritize substantive reasons over procedural technicalities.
- Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) is a biennial event celebrated to honor the contributions of the Indian diaspora, with the 18th edition inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bhubaneswar, focusing on the theme “Diaspora’s Contribution to a Viksit Bharat.” The event commemorates Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India on January 9, 1915, symbolizing his influence as a “non-resident Indian” in the freedom struggle. PBD aims to strengthen ties with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), and organizations led by the diaspora, celebrating their cultural, economic, and political contributions. Instituted in 2003 on the recommendation of the LM Singhvi Committee, it transitioned to a biennial format in 2015. The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, the highest honor for the diaspora, recognizes efforts in enhancing India’s global image and promoting bilateral ties, with President Droupadi Murmu set to honor 27 awardees in 2025. With significant economic contributions, including $125 billion in remittances in 2023, and increasing political and cultural influence globally, the diaspora remains pivotal in India’s development and international outreach.
- Bengaluru has surpassed Chennai as India’s top city for women, according to the ‘Top Cities for Women in India 2024’ report by The Avtar Group, a workplace culture consulting firm. Bengaluru moved up from the second spot in 2023 to become the number 1 city for women in India in 2024, followed by Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Pune, based on an overall ‘City Inclusion Score’ assigned to every city.
- The much-awaited ‘Flamingo Festival 2025’ is all set to be conducted at Sullurpeta in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh from January 18 to 20
- A release issued by Cornell University said that AnemiaPhone would enable access to rapid screening, and diagnosis of iron deficiency at the point of need. Iron deficiency is a leading cause of anaemia, which affects 50% to 70% of pregnant women in India. The technology requires a small finger stick, a drop of blood on a test strip similar to a COVID-19 home test, and a few minutes for the reader to assess. The information is uploaded to a clinical database via mobile phone, wireless tablet or computer. Healthcare workers can interpret the test and provide guidance, triage and referral, or intervention on the spot.
- The Hockey India League has significantly increased its prize money, with the men’s competition winner receiving ₹3 crore, runner-up ₹2 crore, and third place ₹1 crore, while the women’s competition winner will secure ₹1.5 crore, with partial pay parity for individual awards, and a total prize money distribution of ₹10 crore.
- The Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) scheme, launched in 2015, has revolutionized energy efficiency in India by distributing 36.87 crore LED bulbs, achieving ₹19,153 crore in annual electricity savings as per Ministry of Power data. Implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), UJALA is the world’s largest zero-subsidy LED lamp distribution initiative, aiming to replace 77 crore traditional bulbs and CFLs and 3.5 crore streetlights with LEDs, saving 85 lakh kWh of electricity and reducing 15,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Eligible households with metered electricity connections can purchase LEDs either upfront or via EMI payments on electricity bills. The program also engages Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to ensure inclusive growth and accessibility for lower-income communities. Achieving 47,883 million kWh of annual energy savings, reducing peak demand by 9,586 MW, and cutting 3.87 crore tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, the scheme has driven down LED bulb prices from ₹300-350 to ₹70-80 through e-procurement and bulk purchasing, making energy-efficient lighting affordable for millions.
- Recently, the Toda tribe residing in the Nilgiris Hills of Tamil Nadu, celebrated their traditional ‘Modhweth’ festival to mark the New Year.
- In a recent study published in Nature, researchers unveiled Twigstats, a groundbreaking tool for time-stratified ancestry analysis, and applied it to ancient whole-genomes from Europe. Twigstats significantly enhances the statistical power of existing methods while minimizing errors, enabling unprecedented precision in determining individual-level ancestry at high resolution. Developed in C++ with integration of the statistical language R, it offers fine-grained analysis for specific historical periods, providing researchers with a powerful means to delve deeper into the complexities of ancient population dynamics.
