Uttar Pradesh

• 08 Nov 2022

Goddhoia Drain and Ramgarh Tal

Why in News?

• On November 7, 2022, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath approved the restoration of Goddhoia Drain and Ramgarh Tal worth Rs 474.42 crore and sewerage scheme Zone C Part-II, schemes worth Rs 561.34 crore under Gorakhpur Development Projects.

Key Points

• It is worth mentioning that Goddhoia Nala in Gorakhpur City was earlier a natural drain, which has been filled with silt as a result of sewage fall and encroachment. For this reason, there is a situation of waterlogging in various areas around here.
• Keeping this in mind, a project for renovation and interception diversion and treatment of Goddhoia Nala/Drain and Ramgarh Tal has been prepared. Under the project, 38 MLD sewerage coming out of 44300 houses will be treated.
• In this, RCC retaining wall will be built on both sides of the drain and sewerage line will be laid on both sides of it. A sewerage treatment plant will be built near it and a boundary wall will be constructed.
• The project will provide relief to around 2.2 lakh families living within a 9.7-km radius of Goddhoia Drain from floods and water-borne diseases. Apart from this, the facility of sewerage treatment plant will be developed keeping in mind the facilities of the population of the year 2025. Rs 561.34 crore will be spent on this. In this, connections will also be given to 43963 houses while laying sewerage lines.

Katarnia Gharial Conservation and Research Center

Why in News?

• On November 7, 2022, Akashdeep Badhawan, DFO of Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, said that a gharial conservation and research center will be set up in Katarniaghat Wildlife Division.

Key Points

• For this, a 10-member research and trainee team has reached Katarnia. Staying here for three months, the team will prepare a documentary film on gharials.
• A research paper will be prepared by researching the increase of gharial clans in the aquatic area and their living conditions. Based on this, the government will finalize the nature of the tourist destination and the plan up to the Gharial Research Center.
• The Katarniaghat wildlife division is attached to the Indo-Nepal border. In 551 sq km, the division is home to a variety of rare wildlife and birds including tigers, leopards, elephants, rhinos. The six-kilometer area of the Gerua river, which flows between Katarnia, is inhabited by gharial. From the very beginning Katarniaghat is known across the country for Gharial Conservation .
• Now preparations are being made to shine this identity on the national and international level. Under this, along with increasing the clans of gharials, plans are also being made to change the size of the gharial center.
• The 10-member team includes three researchers, six trainee researchers and a movie maker. This team will stay in Katarnia for three months and will work on research. Based on the research report, the nature of the center will be prepared.
• The film has been made at Katarniaghat, but preparations are being made to make a documentary film for the first time, especially on gharials. The film will also include research papers from Katarnia, so that students can easily get research material in future.
• There are 12 pools in Gerua. Three of these pools are inhabited by turtles, while one is occupied by crocodiles. At the same time, there is a family of gharials in six pools. With the rapid increase in their numbers, pools are getting smaller in size. Large alligators are four to five feet long. No more than six can stay in a pool.
• Trishala Ashok, a Bangalore-based expert in movie making associated with wildlife for decades, has also accompanied the team, the DFO said. College students will also be added to the research. It will increase the curiosity of students interested in movie making by sharing expert information.

Uma Singh of Gorakhpur Climbs Mount Friendship by Bicycle

Why in News?

• Recently, Uma Singh of Gorakhpur district has created history in the field of mountaineering, conquering the peak of Mount Friendship in Manali in Himachal Pradesh with a bicycle and thus becoming the first mountaineer to reach the top of this mountain on a bicycle.

Key Points

• Uma Singh, a resident of Godsaira village in Bansgaon Tehsil area of Gorakhpur, started the journey on a bicycle on October 25. He cycled about 1400 km and reached Manali on November 2. From there, his campaign started on November 2. The entire journey took a total of 12 days.
• The top of the 17,346 feet high Mount Friendship stands like a wall for about two hundred meters. So it was not possible to get there. As per the instructions of the guide, he returned from 200 meters below the top after hoisting the tricolor.
• Earlier, Uma Singh had travelled from Kashmir to Kanyakumari (3629 km) between July 15 and 17. He cycled four himalayan peaks between August 12 and 15 to become the first Indian and the world's third climber by cycling four peaks of the Himalayan mountains.
• Apart from this, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro (19340 feet), the highest peak of the continent of Africa, on August 15, 2021 and hoisted the tricolor.
• It is known that between November 30, 2020 and February 10, 2021, Uma holds the record of completing 12,271 km by cycle in 73 days. During this, he made his knock to all the states of the country and their capital.