KARNATAKA

• Launched in August 2023, Kalaburagi’s Mission Suraksha prevents child marriages, sexual harassment, and rape of minors through a seven-stage system from anganwadis to district level, involving 450 trained personnel from 11 departments. Supported by UNICEF, it has reached over 3 lakh students and 78,000 preschoolers, raising child helpline cases to 156 (2023–24) and 159 (2024–25). The zero-budget campaign builds confidence, stresses early reporting, and ensures offenders face POCSO action, now set for statewide replication in Karnataka.
• Karnataka ranks second nationally in EV highway charging infrastructure with 489 stations along 8,191 km of highways, behind Uttar Pradesh. It leads in total public charging points (5,880), mostly in Bengaluru, supported by its 2017 EV policy, rising fuel costs, and air quality concerns. The state plans a ₹50,000 crore EV hub and testing track, aiming for 1 lakh jobs. Public transport electrification includes 14,750 electric buses, with BMTC getting 9,000, boosting long-distance EV adoption.
• The 10th–11th century Kalyani Chalukya-era Nagakunda Pushkarani in Sudi, Gadag, Karnataka—once a key pilgrimage site under Akkadevi—is being revived under the ‘Adopt a Monument’ scheme. Comparable to Gujarat’s Rani ki Vav, it features intricate temple-like sculptures. The Deccan Heritage Foundation India, with NGOs and the Water Literacy Foundation, is restoring its mantapa, water systems, and pathways. Completion is due Oct/Nov 2025, aiming to boost tourism and serve as a sustainable heritage-water conservation model.
• On August 10, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Bengaluru’s ₹7,610 crore Namma Metro Yellow Line, a 19.1 km elevated corridor with 16 stations linking South Bengaluru to the Electronics City IT hub. Public operations began on August 11, enhancing connectivity with Green, Pink, and Blue lines, reducing commute times, easing traffic, and lowering pollution. Serving key IT and industrial areas, the project faced funding and engineering challenges but is expected to carry up to 8 lakh passengers daily once fully operational.

SOCIAL ISSUES

• Tamil Nadu released its first State Education Policy (SEP), drafted by a 14-member panel led by former Delhi HC Chief Justice D. Murugesan, rejecting NEP 2020’s three-language formula in favour of Tamil and English. The 230-page policy removes Class 11 board exams, promotes social equity for marginalised groups, and focuses on literacy, curriculum reform, teacher training, safe schools, digital learning, and sustainability. It continues the Ennum Ezhuthum Mission, marking a political and educational stand against NEP’s Hindi imposition.
• The Department of Health Research (DHR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) launched the nationwide “S.H.I.N.E.” initiative, a student outreach program aimed at igniting scientific curiosity. More than 13,000 students from grades 9-12 participated in interactive sessions across 39 districts. The program, which included laboratory tours and live demonstrations, was designed to introduce young learners to health and biomedical research, inspiring them to pursue careers in science and public health. A mascot, Dr. Curio, was also introduced to enhance

ENVIRONMENT

• The Kerala Forest Department has launched a large-scale ecological restoration initiative using seed ball dispersal to combat climate change, mitigate human-wildlife conflict, and enhance biodiversity. In its first phase (June 15–Aug 15), over five lakh seed balls were dispersed, exceeding targets, with plans to add rare and endangered species in the next phase. This cost-effective, community-driven effort involves students, NGOs, and civic bodies, with urban replications like Thiruvananthapuram’s carbon-neutral drive, showcasing its scalability and environmental impact.
• The Environment Ministry has issued the Environment Protection (Management of Contaminated Sites) Rules, 2025, under the Environment Protection Act, creating India’s first legal framework to tackle chemical contamination. Based on a 2010 capacity-building program, the rules mandate site reporting, assessment, public notification, and expert-led remediation, with polluters bearing costs. They define contaminated sites, set chemical safety limits, and establish criminal liability, but exclude radioactive, mining, marine oil, and municipal waste, and lack a fixed restoration timeline.
• Parthenium, also known as Congress grass, is an invasive weed that poses a serious threat to humans and livestock. Recently, forest staff cleared approximately 5.2 hectares of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam of this weed as part of a three-day campaign. The weed, which originated from Mexico, is known to cause diseases like dermatitis and asthma. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, located east of Guwahati, is famous for having the highest density of one-horned rhinoceros in the country