• 03 Dec 2024

Madhya Pradesh's 9th Tiger Reserve

Why in News? 

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has approved the designation of Madhav National Park in Shivpuri district as a Tiger Reserve. This move will establish Madhav as the 9th tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh. 

• The committee also sanctioned the release of one male and one female tiger into the park.

Key Points 

• Proposed Tiger Reserve Area: 
  • It will span 1,751 square kilometers, including a core area of 3 
  • 75 square kilometers and a buffer zone of 1,276 square kilometers. 
  • Madhav National Park achieved a milestone in tiger conservation with the birth of tiger cubs in September 2024, following a successful breeding program. 
• Second Phase of Tiger Reintroduction: 
  • The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department is preparing for the second phase of reintroductions, which includes bringing in additional tigers from Bandhavgarh, Kanha, or Sanjay-Dubri National Parks. 
• Long-Term Expansion Plans: 
  • Madhav Tiger Reserve is part of a long-term plan to expand into a 1,600-square-kilometer area within five years. 
  • A tiger safari spanning 100 hectares is also planned, with an infrastructure investment of Rs. 20 crore, expected to boost ecotourism and local economies. 
• Conservation and Ecotourism Benefits: 
  • This initiative aims to strengthen wildlife management in Madhav and Kuno National Parks. 
  • The project is expected to boost ecotourism and benefit local communities, contributing to regional development. 
• Madhya Pradesh’s Pending Notifications: 
  • Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary, which was granted in-principle approval as a tiger reserve in 2008, still awaits official notification. 
  • Reports suggest political resistance due to mining activities near Ratapani has delayed its formal designation.

Madhav National Park 

• About: 
  • Madhav National Park is situated in Shivpuri District, Madhya Pradesh. 
  • It is a part of the upper Vindhyan hills. 
  • The Park was the hunting ground of Mughal emperors and Maharaja of Gwalior. It got the status of a National Park in 1959. 
• Ecosystem:  
  • It has a diverse ecosystem consisting of lakes, dry deciduous & dry thorn forests. 
  • The forest is home to tigers, leopards, Nilgai, and Chinkara (Gazella bennettii) and Chousingha (Tetracerus quadricornis) and Deers (Chital, Sambar and Barking Deer) among others. 
• Tiger Corridor:  
  • The Park falls within one of the 32 major Tiger Corridors of the country, which are operationalised through the Tiger Conservation Plan. Tiger Conservation Plan is implemented under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

COP-16 Conference

Why in News? 

Recently, the Haryana Environment, Forest, and Wildlife Minister led a delegation from New Delhi to attend the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) – COP 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2nd to 13th December 2024.

Key Points

• Platform for Collaboration: 
  • The event will serve as an effective platform for Green Zone businesses, scientists, financial institutions, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), and affected communities. 
  • It aims to facilitate collaboration and develop sustainable solutions for land restoration and drought management. 
• International Participation: 
  • COP-16 will bring together representatives from various countries across the globe. 
  • The conference is expected to foster global discussions on combating desertification and addressing related challenges.

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) 

• Established in 1994, it is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. 
• It addresses specifically the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as the drylands, where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems and peoples can be found. 
• The Convention’s 197 parties work together to improve the living conditions for people in drylands, to maintain and restore land and soil productivity, and to mitigate the effects of drought. 
• The UNCCD works with the other two Rio Conventions to address the interlinked challenges of land, climate and biodiversity: 
  • The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 
  • The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Polio Immunisation Drive

Why in News? 

The Indian Expert Advisory Group (IEAG) has decided to include six Haryana districts in the Sub-National Immunisation Day (SNID) round for polio, scheduled to begin on 8th December 2024. These districts are Kaithal, Jhajjar, Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, and Nuh. 

• The IEAG is a group of experts that advises the Government of India on polio eradication and provides strategic guidance. 

Key Points 

• Polio SNID Round: 
  • The Director of Maternal and Child Health (MCH), chaired the State Task Force meeting to review the preparations for the upcoming SNID round. 
  • Attendees included the State Immunisation Officer, officers from the state headquarters, District Immunisation Officers, and representatives from key stakeholder departments such as Women and Child Development, Education, Labour, Urban Local Bodies, Panchayati Raj, Public Relations, Ayush, Medical Education and Research, Indian Medical Association, and Indian Academy of Paediatrics. 
• Polio-Free Status and the Need for Vigilance: 
  • It was highlighted that Haryana and India have remained polio-free since 2011, a significant achievement due to consistent efforts. 
  • He emphasized the importance of covering all eligible children aged 0-5 years in the upcoming SNID round, especially in light of polio virus cases reported in Malawi and Mozambique with links to Pakistan. 
• Focus on High-Risk Areas: 
  • Officials were directed to ensure comprehensive enlisting and micro-planning to achieve 100% coverage of vulnerable populations in high-risk areas such as: 
    • Urban slums 
    • Nomadic sites 
    • Construction sites 
    • Brick kilns 
    • Poultry farms 
    • Factories 
    • Sugarcane crushers 
    • Stone-crushing zones 
• Training and Supervision: 
  • All vaccinators will undergo training to ensure effective immunisation delivery. 
  • State headquarters officials will supervise and monitor activities at the district level. 
    • A district-level supervision plan will be prepared for real-time feedback and to implement multi-tier supervision across all districts.

Polio

• About: 
  • Polio is a crippling and potentially deadly viral infectious disease that affects the nervous system. 
  • There are three individual and immunologically distinct wild poliovirus strains: 
    • Wild Poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) 
    • Wild Poliovirus type 2 (WPV2) 
    • Wild Poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) 
  • Symptomatically, all three strains are identical, in that they cause irreversible paralysis or even death. However, there are genetic and virological differences, which make these three strains separate viruses which must each be eradicated individually. 
• Spread: 
  • The virus is transmitted person-to-person mainly through the faecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (for example, through contaminated water or food). 
  • It largely affects children under 5 years of age. The virus multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and can cause paralysis. 
• Symptoms: 
  • Most people with polio do not feel sick. Some people have only minor symptoms, such as fever, tiredness, nausea, headache, pain in the arms and legs, etc. 
  • In rare cases, polio infection causes permanent loss of muscle function (paralysis). 
  • Polio can be fatal if the muscles used for breathing are paralysed or if there is an infection of the brain. 
• Prevention and Cure: 
  • There is no cure, but it can be prevented through Immunisation. 
• Vaccines: 
  • Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) is given orally as a birth dose for institutional deliveries, then primary three doses at 6, 10 and 14 weeks and one booster dose at 16-24 months of age. 
  • Injectable Polio Vaccine (IPV) is introduced as an additional dose along with the 3rd dose of DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus) under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP). 

Rajendra Prasad Birth Anniversary

Why in News? 

The Prime Minister paid tributes to the country's first President, Bharat Ratna Dr. Rajendra Prasad on his birth anniversary.

Key Points 

• Dr. Rajendra Prasad was born in Zeradei, Siwan, Bihar on 3rd December 1884. 
• Education: 
  • He joined the Calcutta Presidency College in 1902. 
  • In 1915, Prasad appeared in the examination of Master's in Law from the Department of Law, University of Calcutta, passed the examination and won a gold medal. 
  • In 1916, he commenced his legal career in the Patna High Court. He completed his Doctorate in Law from Allahabad University in 1937. 
• Role in Fight for Freedom: 
  • Association with Gandhiji: 
    • While Gandhiji was on a fact-finding mission in Chamaparan district of Bihar to address grievances of local peasants, he called on Rajendra Prasad to come to Champaran with volunteers. 
    • The Champaran Satyagraha not only brought him closer to Mahatma Gandhi, but also changed the entire course of his life. 
    • The Rowlatt Act of 1919 and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919 pushed Rajendra Prasad closer to Gandhiji. 
  • Call for Non-cooperation: 
    • Dr. Prasad called for non-cooperation in Bihar as part of Gandhiji’s non-cooperation movement. 
  • Salt Satyagraha: 
    • In March 1930, Gandhiji launched the Salt Satyagraha. Under the guidance of Dr. Prasad, a salt Satyagraha was launched in Nakhas Pond, Bihar. 
• Dr. Prasad & Indian National Congress: 
  • He officially joined the Indian National Congress in 1911, during its annual session held in Calcutta. 
  • He presided over the Bombay session of the Indian National Congress in October 1934. 
  • Following the resignation of Subhash Chandra Bose as the President of the Congress in April 1939, He was elected President for the second time. 
  • In 1946, he joined the Interim Government of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as the Minister of Food & Agriculture and gave the slogan of “Grow More Food”. 
• Dr. Prasad & Constituent Assembly: 
  • In July 1946, when the Constituent Assembly was established to frame the Constitution of India, he was elected its President. 
  • Committees of Constituent Assembly under the chairmanship of Dr. Prasad includes: 
    • Ad hoc Committee on the National flag 
    • Committee on the Rules of Procedure 
    • Finance and Staff Committee 
    • Steering Committee 
  • On 26th January 1950, the Constitution of independent India was ratified and he was elected India's First President. 
• Awards & Recognition: 
  • In 1962, after 12 years as President, Dr. Prasad retired, and was subsequently awarded the Bharat Ratna, the nation’s highest civilian award. 
  • Dr. Prasad recorded his life and the decades before independence in many books, which includes: 
    • Satyagraha at Champaran 
    • India Divided 
    • His autobiography “Atmakatha” 
    • Mahatma Gandhi and Bihar, Some Reminisences 
    • Bapu ke Kadmon Mein 
• Death: 
  • Dr. Rajendra Prasad spent the last few months of his life in retirement at the Sadaqat Ashram in Patna. He died on 28th February 1963. 

Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh Birth Anniversary

Why in News? 

Recently, Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar paid tributes on the 138th birth anniversary of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh (1886-1979), a visionary nationalist.

Key Points 

• Background: 
  • Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh was born on 1st  December 1886, in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh.  
  • He was a freedom fighter, revolutionary, writer and social reformer.  
  • He founded Prem Mahavidyalaya in 1909, a technical institute at Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh.
• Freedom Movement Contributions: 
  • Mahendra Pratap actively participated in the 1906 Congress session in Kolkata, supported the Swadeshi movement, and supported indigenous industries and local artisans. 
  • Mahendra Pratap was deeply involved in India’s struggle for independence. In 1915, during World War I, he proclaimed the first Provisional Government of India in Kabul, Afghanistan, with himself as its president, opposing British colonial rule 
    • He sought support from countries like Germany, Japan, and Russia for India’s fight against British colonial rule.    
    • He is said to have met Vladimir Lenin in 1919, two years after the Bolshevik Revolution.  
  • He also formed the Executive Board of India in Japan in 1940 during the Second World War. 
• Internationalist and Peace Advocate:  
  • Mahendra Pratap was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1932 for his global advocacy for peace and his efforts to expose British atrocities in India and Afghanistan.  
  • In 1929, Mahendra Pratap launched the World Federation in Berlin, which later influenced the creation of the United Nations.  
• Political Career:  
  • After independence, he worked hard to promote the idea of Panchayati Raj and served as a Member of Parliament from Mathura (1957). 
• Death: 
  • He died on 29th April 1979.