• 18 Aug 2021

ATS Commando Training Center in Deoband

Why in News

• On August 17, 2021, the state government decided to open a new ATS Commando Training Center at Deoband in Western Uttar Pradesh. For this, the government has allotted 20,000 square meters of land near Deoband in Saharanpur.

Key Points

• With the arrest of two terrorists of an al-Qaeda-backed organization in Lucknow, the state government has decided to expand the ambit of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in the aftermath of terror threats in Uttar Pradesh.
• About one and a half dozen ATS officers selected from across the state will be posted in this center.
• Apart from Deoband, preparations are on to open ATS Commando Training Center in Lucknow and Noida.
• Only 30 kms distant from Deoband, more than eight terrorists and ISI agents have been arrested in Saharanpur recently.
• There are more than 300 madrasas in Deoband. It is because of Darul Uloom that students from all over the world come to Deoband for education. Deoband, which is called the city of knowledge, is now on the radar of the government due to terrorist activities. In view of this, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to set up an ATS Commando Training Center in Deoband.

Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan

Why in News

• Recently, the Uttar Pradesh Council of Ministers has approved the Adopt a Heritage Policy "Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan".

Key Points

• Under the policy, the terrestrial development, maintenance and management of public facilities will be done by the Uttar Pradesh State Directorate of Archeology (Culture Department) with the participation of public enterprise units and private sector.
• Under this, private sector entrepreneurs are proposed to be made memorial friends to develop protected monuments / sites.
• Arrangements for on-site development of monuments, public facilities management and annual maintenance in the memorial complex for tourists will be made by the selected memorial friends from their own resources.
• Under Adopt a Heritage Policy, MoU will be done between selected Smarak Mitra, Uttar Pradesh State Directorate of Archeology (Culture Department), Tourism Department and District Magistrate of the concerned district, for a maximum period of 5 years.
• The proposed work will be done by the Culture Department (Uttar Pradesh State Archaeological Directorate) and the Tourism Department through the District Magistrate of the concerned district with mutual cooperation.
• A joint committee of the Department of Culture and the Department of Tourism will be formed for the implementation of the scheme. The work will be done as per the action plan prescribed by the Joint Committee.
• In the first phase under the policy by the Council of Ministers, the Directorate of Archeology (Culture Department) has also given permission to the proposal to select 11 major monuments/sites of Uttar Pradesh State Archaeological Department to be made memorial friends.
• The selected monuments include Chhatarmanjil and Farhat Baksh Kothi, Kothi Gulistane Iram, Darshan Vilas Kothi (Kaiserbagh, Lucknow), Hulaskheda excavation site (Mohanlalganj, Lucknow), Kusumvan Sarovar, Govardhan ki Chhatris (Govardhan, Mathura), Raskhan Samadhi (Gokul, Mathura), Gurudham Temple (Varanasi), Kardameshwar Mahadev Temple (Kandwa, Varanasi), Chunar Fort (Mirzapur) and ancient forts (Baruasagar, Jhansi) are included.

Panchayat Election Date Announced in Bihar

Why in News

• On August 17, 2021, the Bihar government declared the date for the election of Gram Panchayat and Gram Kachari. These elections will be held in 11 phases, the notification of which will be issued on August 24, 2021.

Key Points

• The decision was taken in the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
• The model code of conduct will be implemented in the respective areas as soon as the notification is issued on August 24, 2021. The first phase of polling will be held on September 24, 2021 and the last phase will be held on December 12, 2021. In this way, the process of Panchayat elections will go on in the state for about two and a half months.
• After the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary of the cabinet, Sanjay Kumar told in the press conference that in the flood-affected areas, polling will be held in the last phases.
• Elections are to be held for the six posts of Gram Panchayat and Gram Kachari. These include the posts of mukhiya, panchayat samiti member, zilla parishad member, ward member, sarpanch and panch.
• For the first time, Panchayat elections are being held in 11 phases in the state.
• Phase I: September 24, 2021; Phase II: September 29, 2021; Phase III: October 08, 2021; Phase IV: October 20, 2021; Phase 5: October 24, 2021; Phase 6: November 03, 2021; Phase 7: November 15, 2021; Eighth Phase: November 24, 2021; Ninth Phase: November 29, 2021; 10th phase: December 08, 2021; 11th phase: December 12, 2021.

Gamharia Village Became Plastic and Garbage Free

Why in News

• On August 17, 2021, Gamharia village in Chhattisgarh's Jashpur district became plastic and garbage-free. Earlier, it was declared an Open Defecation Free (ODF) village.

Key Points

• This has been made possible through 'Safai Mitra', the women of Surajpur Self-Help Group in Gamharia who go door-to-door to collect garbage. Villagers now call them respectfully as 'Swachchta Didi'.
• The group has made garbage disposal and waste management an additional source of earning. In the last one year, they earned Rs 63,000.
• Gamharia Sarpanch William Kujur said the Segregation Shed (Solid and Liquid Waste Management Center) was built in the village. Funds were provided from Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural).
• Solid waste such as polythene, packing wrappers of food items, plastic items, iron scrap and glass are sold after segregation, said Sunita Kujur, secretary of the SHG.
• She said 12 women have been working for the group since July 2020. The group collects Rs 10 a month from each household and Rs 20 each from shopkeepers for the garbage collection.

Aromatic Kondanar Campaign

Why in News

• Recently, the Aromatic Kondanar campaign, as part of developing mango orchards (Amrai), has begun with the planting of 1,000 Alphonso species at Rajagaon in Chhattisgarh's Kondagaon district.

Key Points

• Kondagaon MLA Mohan Markam, District Collector Pushpendra Kumar and other representatives planted 1000 saplings of Lemongrass, Palmarosa, Patchouli and Alphonso in an area of 25 acres in Rajagaon. Along with this, Nilgiri and bamboo saplings were also planted by other public representatives.
• It is worth mentioning that Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had launched the Aromatic Kondanar (Fragrant Kondanar) campaign on June 20, 2021, with the aim of making the district an aroma hub and promote aromatic crop cultivation for additional earning to the farmers in tribal areas.
• Under this campaign will be implemented in 2,000 acres of forest, agriculture and private lands in the district will grow aromatic crops. Along with this, aromatic substances will be manufactured by setting up a plant in the district at a cost of 20 crores.

Dhami Launches Free Pathology Test Scheme

Why in News

• On August 17, 2021, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched the free pathology test scheme for the people of the state at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital (Coronation).

Key Points

• This scheme has been launched under the Public Private Partnership model.
• Under this, 207 types of pathological tests will be done free of cost in government hospitals of the state with the funds provided by the National Health Mission (NHM).
• This scheme will be implemented in two phases. In the first phase, the scheme will be launched in 38 district sub-hospitals and community health centers in six districts – Almora, Tehri, Dehradun, Nainital, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar. In the second phase, the free pathology test scheme will be implemented in the remaining districts.

Rare Orchid Species Found in Uttarakhand

Why in News

• Recently, for the first time in India, the discovery of a rare species of orchid has been confirmed by the Botanical Survey of India in the Mandal area of Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.

Key Points

• Cephalanthera erecta var: This species of orchid named oblansevalata was discovered by the research wing of the forest department at an altitude of 1870 meters in the humus-rich oak-burans (rhododendron-oak) forests in the Mandal area of Chamoli district.
• Although the species was discovered in May 2021, the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) has recently confirmed it. Now it has been officially recognized by BSI as the new edition of the List of Indian Flora. BSI has confirmed the addition of Cephalanthera erecta to its new edition of Nelumbo Magazine.
• Chief Conservator of Forests (Research) Sanjeev Chaturvedi said that Range Officer Harish Negi and Junior Research Fellow Manoj Singh have discovered it. These terrestrial orchids were found growing on the soil during the discovery of flowers in the circle.
• Found on the ground, this species of orchid grows from five to 20 cm tall and beautiful white flowers bloom on it in May-June.
• This species has now been found in India after Japan, China and Nepal.
• It is worth noting that recently the first orchid conservation center of North India established in the village of Khalla near Gopeshwar in Chamoli district has been dedicated to the public.