• 02 Aug 2024

New Flight Schedule to Boost Regional Tourism

Why in News?

Recently, the Madhya Pradesh government expanded air services routes to boost regional tourism and announced a new flight schedule for the PM Shri Tourism Air Service.

Key Points

• The scheme aimed at enhancing tourism and improving air connectivity, has announced a new scheme scheduled to start from 1^st August 2024.
  • The service will now incorporate cluster routes linking Khajuraho to Bhopal, Gwalior, Rewa and Singrauli.
  • Flights from Bhopal and Jabalpur to Ujjain will be offered on Sunday, while services to Khajuraho will operate on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
  • The state is classified into five regions-Gwalior and Chambal, Baghelkhand region, Bundelkhand region, Mahakaushal region, Malwa-Nimar region and Narmadapuram.
• The state government is set to host an ambitious 39th IATO (Indian Association of Tour Operators) Annual Convention in Bhopal to boost tourism in MP.
  • This event is expected to draw over 1000 delegates, including tour operators, hoteliers, and other key stakeholders from across the country, promising to enhance both domestic and international tourism in Madhya Pradesh.

PM Shri Tourism Air Service

• The PM Shri Tourism Air Service was inaugurated on 13^th june 2024.
• It is an intra-state air service that connects Madhya Pradesh's religious and tourist spots, aiming to improve connectivity for domestic and international tourists.

Toxic Waste Disposal of Bhopal Gas Tragedy

Why in News?

Recently, the Madhya Pradesh government decided to incinerate 337 Metric Tons (MT) of toxic waste from the Union Carbide facility, nearly 40 years after the Bhopal gas tragedy, 1984.

Key Points

• The central government has earmarked Rs 126 crore for the disposal of the waste.
  • The disposal process is expected to be executed in 180 days, at the incinerator of the Treatment Storage Disposal Facility (TSDF) in Pithampur, Indore.
• The disposal process involves transporting the waste from the contaminated site to the disposal site, blending it with reagents, and then incinerating it.
  • The Madhya Pradesh Department of Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation (BGTRR) will oversee the disposal.
• Challenges and Concerns:
  • The plan to incinerate the waste at the Pithampur TSDF has faced opposition from residents, leading to the suspension of further plans in 2015.
  • A 2021 National Green Tribunal (NGT) report directed the remediation of the Solar Evaporation Ponds (SEPs) located north of the factory, indicating ongoing environmental contamination.
    • The Solar Evaporation Ponds (SEPs) were used primarily to store low-level radioactive wastes contaminated with high concentrations of nitrate.
  • Traces of heavy metals and other contaminants have been found in the borewell water around the site, exceeding acceptable limits.
  • Social groups working for the rehabilitation of the gas tragedy victims have refuted claims about the safety of the incineration process, citing high levels of Dioxins and Furans detected during trial runs.

The Bhopal Gas Tragedy 1984

• The Bhopal gas tragedy was one of the worst industrial accidents in history that occurred on the night of 2-3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, MP.
• It exposed people and animals to the highly toxic gas methyl isocyanate (MIC), causing immediate and long-term health effects and deaths.

Red Alert for Uttarakhand

Why in News?

Recently, The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for certain areas in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand due to an increased risk of extremely heavy rainfall and potential flooding.

Key Points

• Heavy rainfall raises concerns for waterlogging, landslides, and disruptions to daily life and transportation.
• Authorities are urging residents in these areas to stay informed with the latest weather updates and take necessary precautions to safeguard their health and property as the monsoon intensifies.

Colour- Coded Weather Warning

• It is issued by the IMD whose objective is to alert people ahead of severe or hazardous weather which has the potential to cause damage, widespread disruption or danger to life.
• Warnings are updated daily.
• The IMD uses 4 colour codes are:
  • Green (All is well): No advisory is issued.
  • Yellow (Be Aware): Yellow indicates severely bad weather spanning across several days. It also suggests that the weather could change for the worse, causing disruption in day-to-day activities.
  • Orange/Amber (Be prepared): The orange alert is issued as a warning of extremely bad weather with the potential of disruption in commute with road and rail closures, and interruption of power supply.
  • Red (Take Action): When the extremely bad weather conditions are certainly going to disrupt travel and power and have significant risk to life, the red alert is issued.
• These alerts are universal in nature and are also issued during floods, depending on the amount of water rising above land/in a river as a result of torrential rainfall.
• For instance, when the water in a river is ‘above normal’ level, or between the ‘warning’ and ‘danger’ levels, a yellow alert is issued.

Ayodhya Becomes a Model Solar City

Why in News?

Recently, The Uttar Pradesh has achieved a 40 MW power generation capacity through a solar energy plant in Ayodhya.

• Due to which Ayodhya achieved the prestigious designation of a model solar city under the Uttar Pradesh Solar Energy Policy 2022.

Key Points

• According to this policy, a solar city is defined as one where renewable energy plants can reduce the estimated total demand for conventional energy by at least 10%.
  • Ayodhya has surpassed this benchmark, achieving double the required capacity.
• The plant was set up by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Green Energy Limited near the Saryu River in the villages of Majha Rampur Halwara and Majha Sarairasi.
  • The state government has leased 165.10 acres of land to NTPC Green Energy Limited for 30 years at the nominal rate of Rs 1 per acre per year to establish a solar power plant project.
  • This plant will be purchased by Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) for 25 years at a cost-plus-determined tariff, leading to Ayodhya being declared a model solar city.

Saryu River

• The Saryu is a river that flows through Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
• This river is of ancient significance as it is mentioned in the Vedas and the Ramayana.
• The river is formed at the confluence of rivers Karnali and Mahakali. It is a tributary of River Ganges.
• On Ram Navami, the festival that celebrates the birthday of Lord Rama, thousands of people take a dip in the Saryu River at Ayodhya.

Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL)

• Established on 14^th January 2000, as the result of power sector reforms and restructuring in UP which is the focal point of the Power Sector, responsible for planning and managing the sector through its transmission, distribution and supply of electricity.
• It is a professionally managed utility supplying reliable and cost efficient electricity to every citizen of the state.

Uttar Pradesh Gets Permission for New Medical Colleges

Why in News?

Recently, the National Medical Commission (NMC) granted permission to seven new medical colleges and increased seats in two existing colleges in Uttar Pradesh.

Key Points

• Permission has been issued for the autonomous state medical colleges in Bijnor, Bulandshahr, Kushinagar, Pilibhit, Sultanpur, Kanpur Dehat and Lalitpur collectively having 600 MBBS seats.
  • Additionally, the government medical colleges in Agra and Meerut have had their seat counts increased by 72 and 50 bringing the total to 200 seats at the Agra Medical College and 150 seats at the Meerut Medical College.

National Medical Commission (NMC)

• NMC is the apex regulatory body for medical education and practice in India.
• It was established in 2020 by the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, replacing the Medical Council of India (MCI).
• It consists of four autonomous boards: the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board, the Post-Graduate Medical Education Board, the Medical Assessment and Rating Board, and the Ethics and Medical Registration Board.
  • NMC also has a Medical Advisory Council, which advises the commission on matters related to medical education and practice.
• NMC is responsible for conducting and overseeing major screening tests, such as NEET-UG, NEET-PG, and FMGE.
• It also regulates the standards and quality of medical education and training, the registration and ethics of medical practitioners, and the assessment and rating of medical institutions.
• NMC has also achieved the prestigious World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) recognition, which means that the medical degrees awarded by the NMC are recognized globally.
  • The WFME was founded in 1972 by the World Medical Association, the World Health Organization, and other organizations.