• 02 Jan 2025

Swachhata Pakhwada in Haryana

Why in News? 

Recently, The Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) conducted a series of cleanliness drives in Karnal district of Haryana.  

• It aimed to raise awareness about cleanliness and environmental protection while promoting a cleaner and greener India.  

 Key Points 

• Activities Conducted: 
  • Awareness Programmes: 
    • Students were educated on maintaining cleanliness at individual, community, and institutional levels. 
    • Training was provided on converting waste into wealth and safely disposing of waste. 
  • Cleanliness Drives: 
    • Staff cleaned institute premises and reviewed old records and non-functional equipment for disposal. 
    • Special plantation drives were organized. 
  • Campaigns and Awareness: 
    • Campaigns were held to discourage single-use plastics. 
    • Initiatives focused on recycling wastewater and promoting water harvesting for agriculture, horticulture, and kitchen gardens in residential colonies. 
  • Village Involvement: 
    • Cleanliness and sanitation drives were carried out in villages adopted under the “Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav” programme. 
    • Nukkad Nataks (street plays) involving local celebrities were performed to encourage community participation. 
• Celebrating Kisan Diwas: 
  • Scientists and students celebrated Kisan Diwas in Dancher village. 
  • Farmers were invited to interactive workshops focusing on practical solutions for cleanliness in agricultural practices. 

 The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)  

• It was established on 16 July 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. 
• It is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India. 
• It is headquartered at New Delhi. With 102 ICAR institutes and 71 agricultural universities spread across the country this is one of the largest national agricultural systems in the world. 
• It is the apex body for coordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country. 

 Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav 

• The scheme was launched in 2015, to promote the direct interface of scientists with the farmers to hasten the “lab to land” process. 
• It envisages scientists to select villages as per their convenience and remain in touch with the selected villages and provide information to the farmers on technical and other related aspects of agriculture in a time frame through personal visits or on telephone. 
• They may function with the help of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA). 
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Biochemical Oxygen Demand Levels in Haryana

Why in News? 

Recently, the release of untreated waste has significantly raised the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels in the Yamuna river and irrigation canals in Faridabad and Palwal districts of Haryana. 

 Key Points 

• Alarming BOD Levels: 
  • According to the district administration BOD levels are 400-500% higher than permissible limits due to ineffective monitoring and insufficient preventive measures. 
  • As per the National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines, the BOD standard for water is 10 milligrams per litre. Recent samples show levels between 35 and 40, with some locations in the Yamuna reaching 50 milligrams per litre. 
• Environmental Impact: 
  • Untreated waste not only raises BOD levels but also reduces dissolved oxygen (DO) levels to zero. This results in the destruction of aquatic life and a strong stench. 
  • High BOD levels indicate a failure in wastewater treatment and sewage management systems. 
• Challenges in Implementation: 
  • Poor enforcement of regulations and rising pollution levels have worsened the situation. 
  • Experts call for stricter monitoring, improved sewage management, and robust implementation of pollution control measures to mitigate the crisis. 

 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) 

• BOD is the amount of dissolved oxygen used by microorganisms in the biological process of metabolizing organic matter in water. 
• The more organic matter there is (e.g., in sewage and polluted bodies of water), the greater the BOD; and the greater the BOD, the lower the amount of dissolved oxygen available for higher animals such as fishes. 
• The BOD is therefore a reliable gauge of the organic pollution of a body of water. 

Complaint Against Police Action on BPSC Students

Why in News? 

A Bihar-based advocate has filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) regarding the police lathi charge on BPSC students protesting for a re-examination of the 70th BPSC Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) after an alleged paper leak. 

 Key Points 

• Examination Controversy: 
  • The BPSC exam, conducted on 13th December 2024, saw 3.28 lakh candidates across 912 centres. 
    • Allegations of a paper leak at one of the exam centers led to the announcement of a re-examination on 4th January 2025 for affected candidates. 
  • The commission denied the paper leak, asserting that the exam was peaceful at other centres. 
• Protests and Police Action: 
  • For 15 days, BPSC aspirants protested at Gardanibagh, Patna, demanding justice. 
  • On 28th December 2024, police used canes and water cannons to disperse the crowd. 
  • Following the lathi charge, a delegation of students met the Chief Secretary to present their demands. 
• Allegations of Excessive Force: 
  • It is alleged that police fractured students’ bones and used force indiscriminately, even against peaceful protesters with folded hands. 
  • Police used water cannons on protesters during chilling winter nights, describing the actions as aggravated human rights violations. 
  • The complaint also claimed that male police officers brutally beat female protesters in the presence of senior officials. 
• Constitutional and Ethical Violations: 
  • The excessive force violated Article 19(1)(b) of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to peaceful assembly. 
  • Code of Conduct was breached as Principle 4 of India’s Police Code of Conduct, emphasized that force should be minimal and used only as a last resort after persuasion, advice, and warnings 

Rajasthan to Promote Indigenous Trees

Why in News? 

Agricultural centres of excellence in Rajasthan will study Tamil Nadu’s nursery model to promote planting indigenous trees suited to the State’s climate.  

• These centres actively train farmers in modern farming practices and advanced horticulture production techniques. 

 Key Points 

• Tamil Nadu’s Nursery Model: 
  • Tamil Nadu’s nursery model, part of the Green Tamil Nadu Mission, promotes planting native trees and saplings. 
    • The initiative enables individuals to purchase high-quality seedlings from nearby nurseries via an online platform. 
  • The model supports environmental sustainability and enhances afforestation efforts across the State. 
• Visit by Agriculture & Horticulture Secretary: 
  • Agriculture & Horticulture Secretary visited the Rajasthan State Seed Corporation’s field centre, olive cultivation centre, and pomegranate excellence centre at Dhindhol, Jaipur district. 
  • He highlighted that the centres of excellence have increased farmers’ income and are operating at high capacity. 
• Recommendations: 
  • The need for the centres to initiate rainwater harvesting for crop irrigation was emphasized. 
  • The training module for farmers was reviewed, focusing on water conservation techniques like micro-irrigation and mulching. 
• Modern Infrastructure at Dhindhol: 
  • The centre of excellence at Dhindhol includes modern vegetative propagation structures such as greenhouses, shade houses, nursery blocks, mother tree blocks, and automation units. 
  • The centre engages in intensive gardening, grading, and packing for farmers, along with agricultural technology transfer. 
  • The activities assist horticulturists in water management, fertigation, and technical upgrades in cultivation. 

 The Green Tamil Nadu Mission  

• It aims to increase the state's forest and tree cover. The mission's objectives include:  
  • Tree planting: 
    • The mission has raised and handed over 73 lakh seedlings to the Department of Agriculture. The mission has also proposed to plant over 47 lakh saplings across Tamil Nadu.  
  • Nurseries: 
    • The mission has established 260 nurseries in 43 forest divisions across the state. The mission also has a mobile app to collect daily nursery activity updates.  
  • Green committees: 
    • The mission has established State Green Committees and District Green Committees to protect and manage trees.  
  • E-nursery portal: 
    • The mission launched an e-nursery portal to provide free native tree saplings in Chennai. The mission plans to expand this service to other cities in the future. 

Book on Jammu Kashmir Inaugurated

Why in News? 

Union Minister for Home Affairs presided over the book release event on 2nd January 2025. He released the book ‘Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh: Through the Ages’. 

 Key Points 

• About the Book: 
  • The book seeks to narrate the story of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh in a format accessible to both subject specialists and general readers. 
  • Divided into seven sections, the book spans over 3,000 years of the region's history, presenting a comprehensive view. 
  • Each illustration has been carefully chosen to represent an age, highlighting its significance and contribution to India's historical narrative. 
  • The book is available in both Hindi and English language. 
  • The National Book Trust, India, and the Indian Council of Historical Research jointly worked on this publication. 

 National Book Trust (NBT) 

• NBT, India is an apex body established by the Government of India (Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development) in the year 1957. 
• The objectives of the NBT are: 
  • to produce and encourage the production of good literature in English, Hindi and other Indian languages. 
  • to make such literature available at moderate prices to the public. 
  • to bring out book catalogues, arrange book fairs/exhibitions and seminars and take all necessary steps to make the people book minded. 

 Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) 

• ICHR is an autonomous body of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (Ministry of Education), established in the year 1972 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. 
• It provides financial assistance to historians and scholars through fellowships, grants, and symposia.