• 22 Jun 2023

U.P. Pollution Control Board’s Report revealed: Ganga most polluted in Kanpur

Why in News?

On June 21, 2023, the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board released a report of all the rivers of the state, including the Ganga and Yamuna, in which it has been informed that Ganga is the most polluted in the industrial city of Kanpur.

Key Points:

• A report by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board has revealed that the BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) in the Ganga near downstream Jana village in the industrial city of Kanpur is 4.60 mg per litre. Here in the Ganges, a total of 20 thousand coliforms and fecal coliforms have been found to be 17 thousand.
• In the Sangam area of Prayagraj, the BOD of Ganga was found to be a maximum of 2.90 mg per litre, which can be considered satisfactory.
• In the report, the pollution of the Varuna River that meets the Ganges has been described at an alarming level. Varuna's BOD was found to be 12.40 mg per litre before it joins the Ganga in Varanasi.
• According to the board's report, Varuna's water has also become very dangerous for aquatic organisms. Varuna's DO (Dissolved Oxygen) is 3.30 mg per litre before it joins the Ganga.
• Yamuna is very polluted from Agra to Hamirpur. In Etawah, the BOD of Yamuna is 16.80 mg per litre, while DO was found to be 5.80 mg per litre.
• The water of the Kali river, which flows in many districts of western Uttar Pradesh, was found to be extremely dangerous. In the report of the Pollution Control Board, the BOD of the Hindon river in Bulandshahr was found to be 54 mg per litre.
• There is no possibility of the survival of aquatic organisms due to the discovery of zero DO in the river. This is the condition of the river in Muzaffarnagar.
• The Hindon river, the most infamous in terms of pollution, is more polluted than the Kali from Saharanpur to Noida. The Gomati river from Sitapur to Barabanki is in a similar situation. In Unnao and Jaunpur, Sai's pollution was found to be higher than normal.
• Pollution standards in river water

Pollution Factor	Quantity
BOD	3 milligrams per litre maximum
DO	5 milligrams per litre minimum

• The Regional Officer of Pollution Control Board R.K. Singh told that the headquarters issues the report after a month-long investigation of the rivers.

Smita Kumari created a new World Record in Centre Split Holding (Samakonasana, Yoga)

Why in News?

According to the information received from the media on June 21, 2023, Smita Kumari of Basanpur village (Nalanda district) of Bihar has set a new world record by standing in the same posture of yoga for 3 hours 10 minutes and 12 seconds in the Center Split Holding (Samkonasana, Yoga).

Key Points:

• Smita (29) has been associated with the Adani Group's healthcare department as an in-house yoga instructor for the past four years. In Gujarat, she was also felicitated by Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani.
• She received her record certificate from the Guinness World Records team.
• It is known that Smita has studied for graduation from Ranchi. There she enrolled in Economics Honors at Marwari College. After this, she did a diploma in yoga science from Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga in Delhi.
• After this, Smita Kumari studied Master's in Applied Yoga and Human Science from Dev Sanskriti University in the year 2015-2017.

Research Scholars to get Financial Support and Encouragement in the state

Why in News?

On June 20, 2023, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved a financial proposal of Rs 62.30 crore to provide fellowships to about 6,000 research scholars of government colleges and universities of the state to provide them with financial support and encouragement.

Key Points:

• About 2200 research scholars from government colleges and state-funded universities will be given a fellowship of Rs 20,000 per month. An amount of Rs 52.80 crore has been approved for this.
• Also, 3800 research scholars studying in government colleges and universities will get financial assistance of up to Rs 25,000 for participation in internships, seminars, workshops, and conferences in prestigious higher education institutions and research institutes of the country. An amount of Rs 9.50 crore has been approved for this.
• This fellowship will be given for a maximum period of 2 years. The College Education Department will be its nodal department.
• The cooperation of these researchers can be taken in the implementation of public welfare schemes of the state government.
• Research scholars from medical education universities and research scholars who have received any other fellowship will not be eligible.
• It is worth mentioning that the Chief Minister had made an announcement in this regard in the budget for the year 2023-24.

Leopard Conservation Reserve to be developed in Godwad Desuri

Why in News?

On 21st June 2023, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved the proposal for the development of the Leopard Conservation Reserve at Godwad Desuri in the Pali district of Rajasthan and various development works at Vadakhera, a protected forest area of Sirohi.

Key Points:

• The Chief Minister has given financial approval of about Rs 5.15 crore for these works and this will be done to develop the Leopard Conservation Reserve at Godwad Desuri at a cost of Rs 2 crore.
• Along with this, development and strengthening works will be done in the protected forest area of Vadakhera at a cost of Rs 3.15 crore.
• It is worth mentioning that the Chief Minister had announced these works in the budget year 2023-24.

Formation of state level committee for Monitoring & Guidance under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary

Why in News?

On June 21, 2023, the State Government of Madhya Pradesh has constituted a State Level Committee under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary to coordinate with the concerned departments under the Mission Shakti Yojana-Sambal and Samarth sub-scheme to monitor & guide the implementation of the scheme at district & state level.

Key Points:

• The Principal Secretary/Secretary, Women and Child Development will be the Member Secretary in this State Level Committee.
• Secretary, Public Health & Family Welfare, School Education, Higher Education, Technical Education, Skill & Employment, Finance, Science & Technology, Home, Sports & Youth Welfare, Scheduled Castes Welfare, Social Justice & Disabled Welfare, Backward Classes & Minorities Welfare will be a member of the Committee on Law and Legislative Affairs.
• The task of preparing the state-level annual action plan of the schemes under Mission Shakti will be done by the committee and monitoring meetings will be organized at least twice a year. The tenure of the committee will be till the period of the 15th Finance Commission.

Foundation stone laid for CPS Sidhu-Kanhu Vidyapeeth and Hostel in Hazaribagh

Why in News?

According to information received from the media on June 21, 2023, the foundation stone of CPS Sidhu-Kanhun Vidyapeeth & Hostel was performed by Sidhu-Kanhu Seva Sansthan of Hazaribagh and Pinjrapole Society of Kolkata to provide school hostels for quality education based to poor children of rural areas of Sadar block of Hazaribagh.

Key Points:

• This CBSE board-based school for 2000 children will be set up in Sitagarha Gaushala premises of Hazaribagh, where residential arrangements for 1000 children will be available.
• Indian culture and civilization will be seen in the residential complex, a complete glimpse of Indian ancient Gurukul.
• This school will be unique and excellent in itself amidst the beautiful valleys of nature on 22 acres of land.

'Dekho Bastar Season 2 - Bastar on Bike'

Why in News?

'Dekho Bastar Season 2 - Bastar on Bike' was successfully organized by Kanger Valley National Park in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh from June 18-20, 2023.

Key Points:

• 60 riders from Chhattisgarh and border states participated in the program organized in collaboration with Chhattisgarh Tourism Board, Bastar and local partner organizations where they completed the motor circuit to promote Bastar tourism.
• Director of Kanger Valley National Park Dhammasil Ganvir said that the main objective of 'Bastar on Bike' is to show the natural beauty and access roads, roads, and facilities of Bastar to the tourists through riders to promote tourism.
• The riders started the 'Dekho Bastar Ride' on June 18 from Maa Danteshwari Temple Jagdalpur and reached Tirathgarh via Kurandi, Gumalwada, Koleng. After this, on June 19, all the riders completed the motor circuit by reaching Chitrakoot from Tirathgarh via Katekalyan via Dantewada, Barsur, and Korlapal.
• In the closing ceremony of this event, a workshop was also organized by Chhattisgarh Tourism Board on June 19 to promote wellness tourism. In which MasterChef Vijay Sharma gave information about the benefits and dishes of millets like Kodo, Kutki, Ragi etc.

Coal Power Plant will be set up in Odisha for the state

Why in News?

According to the information received from the media on June 21, 2023, due to the very low production relative to the demand for electricity in Uttarakhand, now electricity will be generated from coal in Odisha. For this, a joint venture of THDC-UJVNL is going to be formed soon in the state.

Key Points:

• With the completion of this project, the power shortage in the state will be controlled in the next four to five years.
• Energy Secretary R. Meenakshi Sundaram said that power generation from hydropower projects is affected by the season. The production increases when the monsoon arrives, but decreases when the rivers get silted. The fall in the water level of the rivers in winter and subsequent summer reduces production.
• On the other hand, the generation from solar power projects is only during day time. It is not used at night, because there is no such battery that can store this electricity.
• The electricity demand is continuously increasing in the state. Keeping this in mind, the thermal power plant is being thought of. In the past, the government has decided that it will move forward in the direction of making electricity from coal. For this, a joint venture of THDC-UJVNL will be formed soon.
• THDC already has a coal mine in Odisha. The plant will be set up near it because the cost of transporting coal from there to Uttarakhand will be very high.
• The Energy Secretary informed that THDC was already preparing to build its own plant, which will now be built jointly with Uttarakhand. If this is built in the next four to five years, then the power shortage in the state will come under control.
• There are three gas-based power plants in the state. Two of these are underway, while some decisions are yet to be taken in the third. A decision on the third plant will also be taken soon. After this, the power generation from the gas power plant will increase.