Yelagiri hut shelters 200 years of hill tribe history

Yelagiri hut shelters

• The Malaiyali tribes’ people were foragers who settled in the upper Nillavur region of Yelagiri and began cultivating its tabletop peak for food.
• Initially living in makeshift huts, they found a permanent solution in the red loam clay abundant in the hills and constructed simple one-room structures that measured 16 by 22 feet.
• These shelters are made of dry bamboo leaves; the thatched roof is waxed with cow dung to prevent it from leaking during the monsoon season.
• This covering tends to make the house appear deceivingly small from the outside, but it has enough space to house eight people and a paran (attic) that was used to store pots and other household items.
• The hut was meant for people to live in but eventually turned into a storage space for the seeds we collected before the sowing period began.
• A unique feature of the munn veedu (mud house) or andara kotai (storage facility) is that it stands on a stilt-like structure also made of teak wood.

Malaiyali tribe

• The Malaiyali tribe – malai meaning “hill” and yali meaning “people” – is strewn across Tamil Nadu’s hilly regions.
• The Malayalis have not any claim to be considered as an ancient hill tribe, but are Tamil speaking people who migrated from the plains to the hills in comparatively recent times, probably during the middle of eighteenth century.

NASA''s STEREO spacecraft flyby 17 years into its mission

STEREO spacecraft:

• The pair of STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) spacecraft were launched on October 25, 2006, from Florida''s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
• The two spacecraft were situated in Sun''s orbit, STEREO-A ("Ahead") and STEREO-B ("Behind").
• The dual-spacecraft mission accomplished its major goal by delivering the first-ever stereoscopic view of our star.
• On February 6, 2011, another significant milestone was achieved as both STEREO-A and -B reached a remarkable 180-degree separation in their orbits, which gave us the full sphere image of the Sun.
• Significance of STEREO-A
  • It will synthesize its views with those from Nasa''s and the European Space Agency’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) and Nasa’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO).
  • Its distance from Earth changes throughout the flyby, it will optimize its stereo vision for different-sized solar features at different times, akin to adjusting the focus on a several million-mile-wide telescope.
  • It will allow scientists to understand how a coronal mass ejection''s (CME) magnetic field evolves on its way to Earth.

President to launch advanced frigate Vindhyagiri in Kolkata on August 17

Vindhyagiri frigate

• It is named after a mountain range in Karnataka.
• It is the sixth ship of the Project 17A frigates.
• These warships are follow-ons of the Project 17 Class Frigates (Shivalik Class), with improved stealth features, advanced weapons and sensors and platform management systems.
• Under the Project 17A programme, four ships by Mumbai-based Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and three by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) are under construction.
• The project’s first five ships were launched by MDL and GRSE, between 2019-2022.
• These ships have been designed in-house by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau.
• As much as 75% of the orders for equipment and systems of Project 17A ships are from indigenous firms, including MSMEs.

old INS Vindhyagiri

• It was the sixth and last of the Nilgiri class frigates—in its nearly 31 years of service from 8 July 1981 to 11 June 2012, had seen many multinational exercises and performed maritime surveillance, coastal patrol and anti-piracy operations.
• It was decommissioned after being damaged in an accident with a merchant vessel in 2011.

Uttarakhand''s Nandakini River Swells After Heavy Rain, Water Enters Houses In Chamoli

Nandakini River

• Nandakini is one of the five main tributaries of the Ganges River.
• Origin: Originating in the glaciers below Nanda Ghunti on the Nanda Devi Sanctuary, the river joins the Alaknanda at Nandprayag (870m), which is one of the panch prayags or holy confluences on the Alaknanda.
• Course:
  • It flows through theChamoli district of Uttarakhand primarily in the Garhwal region, covering a distance of approximately 105 kilometres before merging with the Alaknanda River at Nandprayag.
• It is surrounded by the majestic Himalayan peaks, including Nanda Devi, Trisul, and Kamet.
• Cultural Significance:
  • The river holds great significance in Hindu mythology and is considered sacred. It is believed to be the abode of Lord Vishnu.
  • The region surrounding the river is dotted with ancient temples and shrines.
  • The most famous temple along the Nandakini River is the Nandprayag Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
  • The temple is believed to have been built by Adi Shankaracharya, a renowned philosopher and saint.
• Tributaries: Several smaller streams and rivers join the Nandakini as it makes its way through the mountainous terrain. One of the notable tributaries is the Pindar River.
• The banks of the Nandakini River are rich with wildlife and biodiversity. The region is home to several protected areas, including the Nanda Devi National Park and the Valley of Flowers National Park.
• The Nanda Devi National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to a wide range of flora and fauna. The park is known for its diverse ecosystem, which includes alpine meadows, high-altitude forests, and snow-capped peaks.
• The Valley of Flowers National Park, on the other hand, is famous for its vibrant alpine flowers that bloom during the monsoon season. It is also home to several rare and endangered plant species.

14 States yet to join Centre''s flagship education scheme

Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan

• In the light of the National Education Policy, Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) scheme has been launched as Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA).
• It covers government and government-aided institutions of the States and UTs.
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).
• PM-USHA would be focusing on the following:
  • Equity, Access, and Inclusion: The scheme focuses on equity initiatives and gender inclusion by providing adequate opportunities to underprivileged groups, and it promotes the inclusion of women, minorities, SCs/STs/OBCs, and specially-abled people in higher education, which will help to increase the GER
  • Developing Quality Teaching & Learning processes: It would provide the facilities to the institution for upgrading the physical and digital infrastructure and also for the conversion of single-stream higher education institutions (HEIs) into multiple streams institutions
  • Accreditation of Non-Accredited Institutions & Improving Accreditation: Accreditation pushes institutions to meet and maintain higher standards in education, in turn, increases trust and confidence in them among the public and boosts accountability
  • ICT-based Digital Infrastructure: To ensure greater access to education, there is the significant importance of technology in bridging the language barrier between teachers and students, creating digital libraries, popularizing language learning as well as introducing the Open distance learning (ODL) programs.
  • Enhancing Employability through Multidisciplinarity : Collaboration between industry and academia is key to catalysing innovation and growth in career building. PM-USHA will encourage the HEIs to get linked with the Industry and the Market to strengthen skills, innovations, and employability

ISRO''s Aditya L1 mission to the sun, reaches spaceport

Aditya-L1 Mission

• Aditya L1 is the first space-based Indian mission to study the Sun.
• It will be launched by the PSLV-XL launch vehicle.
• The spacecraft shall be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, which is about 1.5 million km from the Earth.
• A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation/eclipses.
• This will provide a greater advantage in observing solar activities and their effect on space weather in real-time.
• The spacecraft carries seven payloads to observe the photosphere, chromosphere and the outermost layers of the Sun (the corona) using electromagnetic and particle and magnetic field detectors.
• Using the special vantage point L1, four payloads directly view the Sun and the remaining three payloads carry out in-situ studies of particles and fields at the Lagrange point L1, thus providing important scientific studies of the propagator effect of solar dynamics in the interplanetary medium.
• The other objectives of Aditya L1 mission will be to understand the drivers for space weather (origin, composition and dynamics of solar wind), and identify the sequence of processes that occur at multiple layers (chromosphere, base and extended corona) which eventually leads to solar eruptive events.

Lagrangian points

• Lagrangian points, also known as Lagrange points or liberation points, are specific locations in space where the gravitational forces of two large bodies, such as a planet and its moon or a planet and the Sun, produce enhanced regions of gravitational equilibrium.
• In these points, the gravitational pull from the two bodies creates a stable or quasi-stable region where a third, smaller object can maintain a relatively constant position relative to the larger bodies.
• There are five primary Lagrangian points, labelled L1 through L5, in a Sun-Earth system.
• L1 (Lagrange Point 1):
  • It was found by mathematician Joseph Louis Lagrange.
  • It is located about 1.5 million kilometres inside Earth''s orbit, between the Sun and the Earth.
  • The L1 point of the Earth-Sun system gives a clear view of the sun all the time, without any occultation/ eclipses.
  • Once the Aditya L1 mission reaches the L1 Lagrange point, it will be injected to a halo orbit. A halo orbit is a type of orbit that allows the satellite to remain in a stable position between the Earth and the Sun.

DMRC to make passengers aware about CO2 emissions reduction due to Metro travel

CarbonLite Metro Travel

• It is a new initiative of the DMRC to help people understand their contribution to reducing CO2 emissions by opting for metro rail services.
• With this initiative, daily commuters will now be able to understand and learn about the average amount of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions they are decreasing with their simple step of selecting the metro as their means of transportation.
• The amount of CO2 will be calculated based on a comparison to road-based motor vehicles.
• It also aims to persuade commuters to choose an environmentally friendly method of transportation over motorised alternatives, thereby supporting a cleaner and more ecologically balanced environment.
• The initiative is in line with the Government of India’s Mission Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE).
• Who can avail of this feature?
  • People travelling with QR code-based tickets will be able to avail of this facility.
  • Information about the decrease in CO2 emissions caused by metro travel will be prominently displayed on both mobile QR code tickets and physical tickets.
  • Supported by comprehensive research conducted by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Delhi, the initiative underscores that each kilometre travelled by metro train instead of road vehicles results in a noteworthy reduction of 32.38 gram of CO2 emissions.
  • The CO2 savings will be displayed and accumulated in the user’s DMRC mobile app for all journeys undertaken by the passenger, further enhancing his/her feel-good factor.

Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment):

• It is an India-led global mass movement to nudge individual and community action to protect and preserve the environment.
• It was launched by the Indian Prime Minister at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgowin November 2021.
• The program hopes to “mobilize one billion Indians as well as people in other countries to become individuals who practice sustainable lifestyles.
• The global movement will showcase sustainable goals and climate actions taken by countries and individuals around the world.
• It makes the fight against climate change democratic, in which everyone can contribute with their respective capacities.
• It emboldens the spirit of the P3 model, i.e., Pro Planet People.
• It functions on the basic principles of ‘Lifestyle of the planet, for the planet and by the planet’.
• It aims at following a three-pronged strategy for changing people''s collective approach towards sustainability,
  • nudging individuals to practice simple yet effective environment-friendly actions in their daily lives (demand)
  • enabling industries and markets to respond swiftly to the changing demand (supply)
  • to influence government and industrial policy to support both sustainable consumption and production (policy).

China''s Inner Mongolia reports two cases of bubonic plague

Bubonic Plague

• Plague is an infectious disease caused by a specific type of bacterium called Yersinia pestis.
• pestis can affect humans and animals and is spread mainly by fleas.
• Bubonic plague, also known as Black Death, is one type of plague. It gets its name from the swollen lymph nodes (buboes) caused by the disease.
• The other types of plague are:
  • Septicaemic plague, which happens when the infection goes all through the body.
  • Pneumonic plague, which happens when the lungs are infected.
• Symptoms: Bubonic plague symptoms include
  • Sudden high fever and chills.
  • Pains in the areas of the abdomen, arms and legs.
  • Headaches.
  • Large and swollen lumps in the lymph nodes (buboes) that develop and leak pus.
• Transmission:
  • pestis is spread mostly by fleas on rodents and other animals.
  • It is transmitted between animals and humans by the bite of infected fleas, direct contact with infected tissues, and inhalation of infected respiratory droplets.
  • It’s an example of a disease that can spread between animals and people (a zoonotic disease).
• Treatment:
  • It can be treated and cured with antibiotics.
  • Antibiotics that treat bubonic plague include Ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, Gentamicin and Doxycycline.
  • It can be fatal if it’s not treated.

Scientists detect ''microplastics'' in human heart for first time

Microplastics

• Microplastics are tiny bits of various types of plastic found in the environment.
• They are a result of the fragmentation and degradation of larger plastic items, as well as the direct release of tiny plastic particles, often intentionally added to consumer products like cosmetics and cleaning agents.
• The name is used to differentiate them from “macroplastics” such as bottles and bags made of plastic.
• There is no universal agreement on the size that fits this bill — the S. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and the European Chemical Agency define microplastic as less than 5mm in length.

Types of microplastics

• There are two categories of microplastics**: primary and secondary**.
• Primary microplastics:
  • They are tiny particles designed for commercial use, such as cosmetics, as well as microfibers shed from clothing and other textiles, such as fishing nets.
  • They enter the environment directly through any of various channels—for example, product use, unintentional loss from spills during manufacturing or transport, or abrasion during washing.
• Secondary microplastics:
  • They are particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastic items, such as water bottles.
  • This typically happens when larger plastics undergo weathering, through exposure to, for example, wave action, wind abrasion, and ultraviolet radiation from sunlight.
• Environmental Impact:
  • Microplastics are not biodegradable.
  • Thus, once in the environment, primary and secondary microplastics accumulate and persist.
  • They can be ingested by marine organisms, leading to potential harm to aquatic life and bioaccumulation along the food chain.
  • They can also carry toxic chemicals and pollutants, posing additional risks to organisms and ecosystems.

NGT asks Odisha government to stop ‘illegal’ construction in and around Tampara Lake

Tampara Lake:

• It is one of the largest fresh water lakes in the State of Odisha.
• The beautiful lake & the nearby Chilika Lagoon highlight the ecological diversity Odisha is blessed with.
• It supports at least 60 species of birds, 46 species of fishes, at least 48 species of phytoplanktons, and more than seven species of terrestrial plants and macrophytes.
• It is an important habitat for vulnerable species such as Cyprinus carpio, common pochard (Aythya ferina), and river tern (Sterna aurantia).
• It is already placed in the Wetland Atlas prepared by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2010.

National Green Tribunal

• It has been established under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.
• New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai shall be the other four places of sitting of the Tribunal.
• NGT is mandated to make disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of the filing of the same.
• Composition
  • The Tribunal comprises the Chairperson, the Judicial Members, and Expert Members.
  • They shall hold office for a term of 5 years and are not eligible for reappointment.
  • The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
  • A Selection Committee shall be formed by the central government to appoint the Judicial Members and Expert Members.
  • There are to be at least 10 and a maximum of 20 full-time Judicial members and Expert Members in the tribunal.