• 15 Mar 2022

Low Cost Sensor Network and Mobile App Launched in Jaipur

Why in News

On March 14, 2022, Chairman of Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board Vinu Gupta launched the Low Cost Sensor Network and its mobile app in Jaipur city.

Key Points

• Under the joint aegis of Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board and IIT Kanpur, low cost sensors have been installed at 40 different places in Jaipur city.
• These sensors will not only get to know about the pollution hot spots in the city, but the causes of pollution at that particular place can also be monitored.
• Through these sensors, comprehensive information will be given about the air quality of the city, on the basis of which better plans can be made to reduce air pollution after investigation.
• The data received from these sensors will also be available to the general public through web portal and mobile app. This data will also be sent regularly to the concerned departments, so that appropriate decisions can be taken for pollution control in the city with the coordination of all and the goal of sustainable development can be met.
• Display boards with sensors will also be installed at 5 places in Jaipur – Yaadgar, State Pollution Control Board Regional Office VKI, Secretariat, Sanganer Airport and Pollution Control Board Office Complex Jhalana. Dust particles, fine dust particles and air quality index will be displayed on these boards for the public.
• These sensors are of low cost as well as small in size and easy to install. Their monitoring is also easy, whereas manual stations apart from being larger in size are more costly and require more care in their operation and maintenance.
• It is noteworthy that the Large Scale Multi City Dens Urban IoT Real Time Air Quality Monitoring Network in India project is being run by IIT Kanpur in collaboration with Ericsson India. Under this, apart from Jaipur, low cost sensors have been installed in Kanyakumari, Chennai and Guwahati.

Task Force to Reduce Maternal and Child Mortality and Malnutrition

Why in News

On March 14, 2022, a new task force was constituted by the State Government of Madhya Pradesh in place of the previously constituted task force with the objective of reducing maternal mortality rate, neonatal mortality rate, infant mortality rate and malnutrition.

Key Points

• Economist and former member of Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, Prof. Shamika Ravi will be the chairperson of the newly formed task force, while the Additional Chief Secretary (Public Health and Family Welfare) will be the secretary of the task force.
• Additional Chief Secretary Women and Child Development, Mission Director National Health Mission, Professor Head Community Nutrition Intermediate Fellow, DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance Indian IIPH Delhi and Dr. Ramesh Agarwal AIIMS, New Delhi have been made members in the Task Force.
• Lokesh Sharma, Additional Chief Executive Officer, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis has been appointed as Member Secretary.
• The task force will work in coordination with Madhya Pradesh State NITI Aayog and Planning Commission.
• The Task Force meeting will be held once in a month or as required.
• The task force will submit a report on proposed interventions and possible effects to the state government by June 30, 2022, to reduce maternal neonatal mortality and stunting.
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis will function as the technical secretariat to provide necessary support to the task force.

Asia's Largest Marine Fossils Park

Why in News

On March 14, 2022, the State Forest Department informed that Asia's largest and Chhattisgarh's first Marine Fossils Park would be built at Manendragarh in Korea district.

Key Points

• Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will lay the foundation of this park on the occasion of World Forestry Day (March 21). This park has been named Marine Fossils Park.
• The proposed park is situated at the confluence of Hasdeo and Hasiya river in Amakherwa area about 1 km. will be developed in the area.
• It is noteworthy that information about having marine fossils in Amakherwa was received in the year 2012. In the year 2015, experts from Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleobotany, Lucknow confirmed the existence of 250 million years old marine fossils here.
• In 2015 itself, the parts of the fossils were cordoned off by the Forest Department and developed as a heritage.
• About one kilometer between Hasdeo river in Amakherwa area. The area is full of fossils of marine fauna and flora. Fossils of sea creatures like bivalve molluscs, eurydesma and aviculopecten are present here. Apart from these, there are also species of pelecypods, gastropods, brachiopods, bryozoans and crinoids.

Banshidhar Bhagat: Protem Speaker

Why in News

On March 14, 2022, Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh (SEN) dissolved the fourth assembly and appointed newly elected MLA and former cabinet minister Banshidhar Bhagat as the pro tem speaker of the fifth elected assembly.

Key Points

• The Governor has appointed Banshidhar Bhagat as Pro-tem Speaker under Article 180(1) of the Constitution.
• Pro-tem Speaker Banshidhar Bhagat will administer the oath to the newly elected MLAs of the new assembly and will continue as Speaker till a new Speaker is elected from amongst the elected members of the House.
• It is noteworthy that senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Banshidhar Bhagat has been elected MLA from Kaladhungi and has become an MLA for the seventh time.
• Banshidhar Bhagat will be the sixth pro-tem speaker of the state. For the first time in 1991, he became an MLA from Nainital in the undivided Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
• Banshidhar Bhagat had taken charge as Minister of State for Food and Logistics, Minister of Hill Development and Minister of State for Forests in the Government of Uttar Pradesh.