Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021
Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill
In a tumultuous session, the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on July 26, without implementing any modifications from the original draft introduced on March 29. The purpose of this controversial Bill is to revise the existing Forest Conservation Act, 1980.
Mangrove Cell
On International Day for the Preservation of Mangrove Ecosystems, West Bengal Government announced the formation of a specialised ‘mangrove cell’ in the State.
This region is home to approximately 40% of India’s mangrove forests, and as such, the newly established department has promptly devised a strategy for mangrove reforestation.
Observed annually on July 26, the International Day for the Preservation of Mangrove Ecosystems serves as a global call to acknowledge the critical importance of mangrove ecosystems. Recognized as a distinct, valuable, and delicate habitats, this day was established by the General Assembly of UNESCO in 2015.
Mangroves, defined as a collection of trees and shrubs, are unique in their ability to thrive in the coastal intertidal zone. This means they can withstand both the rising and falling of saline waters. Through this adaptation, mangrove forests provide countless benefits, such as protection against storms and coastal erosion, habitat for many species of fish, crabs, birds and other wildlife, carbon dioxide absorption from the atmosphere to reduce global warming, nutrient cycling to improve water quality and more.
Discovery Of Lithium Ore In Jammu And Kashmir
The Ministry of Coal, Mines, and Parliamentary Affairs recently shared crucial information about the G3 stage mineral exploration project conducted by the Geological Survey of India. An important discovery of lithium ore in the Salal-Haimna areas of Reasi District, Jammu & Kashmir was made, marking a significant milestone in the field.
The region has been confirmed to hold an estimated 5.9 million tonnes of lithium ore, a valuable resource.
About Geological Survey of India (GSI)
The Geological Survey of India (GSI), founded in 1851, is a key geo-scientific entity originally formed with the intent of locating coal deposits. Today, it stands as a crucial provider of national geo-science data and conducts comprehensive assessments of mineral resources. Functioning as an auxiliary office to the Ministry of Mines, the GSI operates out of its main office in Kolkata, with six additional regional offices spread across Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong, and Kolkata. Furthermore, each state in India has a dedicated GSI unit.
Vibrant Villages Programme
In a recent correspondence shared with the Rajya Sabha, the Ministry of Home Affairs offered enlightening details about the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) in the Rajya Sabha
Sanctioned on February 15th, 2023, and officially initiated on April 10th, 2023, the VVP is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme focused on the holistic progress of designated villages in 46 blocks spanning 19 districts adjacent to the northern border in Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and the Union Territory of Ladakh.
The primary objective of the program is to generate employment possibilities by promoting tourism, preserving cultural heritage, enhancing skills, fostering entrepreneurship, and establishing cooperative societies. These endeavors cover a broad spectrum of sectors, including agriculture and the cultivation of medicinal plants and herbs.
The program aims to create livelihood opportunities through tourism promotion, cultural heritage preservation, skill development, entrepreneurship, and development of cooperative societies, including agriculture and cultivation of medicinal plants/herbs.
STARFIRE Algorithm
The Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, has recently created a novel algorithm named STARFIRE. This innovative technique is designed to mitigate the impact of undesired Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) prevalent in space, thereby augmenting the quality of data sourced from astronomical expeditions in space.
STARFIRE, an acronym for Simulation of TerrestriAl Radio Frequency Interference in oRbits around Earth, is a cutting-edge solution created to evaluate and chart the unwanted RFI signals in outer space.
The capability of the STARFIRE approach extends to gauging and recognizing the RFI emanating from an array of sources like FM radio stations, Wi-Fi networks, cellular towers, radar systems, satellites, and diverse communication gadgets.
This groundbreaking solution holds immense potential in transforming space-based astronomy ventures and enhancing the quality of data harnessed from such explorations in the times to come.
Unprecedented Flash Floods Strike Himachal Pradesh
The monsoon season of 2023 in Himachal Pradesh has led to devastating flash floods across many areas, resulting in significant loss of both human lives and property. Flash floods, by definition, are rapid rises in water levels that typically occur during or immediately following a period of heavy rainfall.
These events are highly localised, lasting for a short duration but with an extremely high peak, often manifesting within six hours of the triggering rainfall.
The severity of flooding can be further exacerbated by issues such as blocked drainage systems or encroachments that obstruct the natural water flow.